Ani's Book Abyss

I'm a little late on my weekly updates, so here's a big one!

Since the last update, I've completed tasks from 5 more doors, Bon Om Touk (Tasks 1, 3, & 4), Russian Mother's Day (Tasks 1, 2, & 3), St. Andrew's Day (Task 2), Advent (Tasks 1 & 2), and Hanukkah (Tasks 1, 3, & 4, plus Book Task).  This brings me to a total of 41 points!

I'm super stoked, because my total points last year was 18 for the entire game.  This time last year, I'd completed only 7 Tasks in November; this year, I've completed 31 Tasks in November.  Last year, I'd read 15 books for the Festive Tasks... while this year I've only read 3 books.  Which means that I've somehow managed to participate a lot more fully than I thought I would, completing a lot more non-book tasks than I'd been expecting.

Truthfully, I'd love to be able to do more Book Tasks, but I'm just going to play it by ear.  If Non-book Tasks are what gets the points for this year, I guess that's what I'll be doing!

I'm still working on one of the Sinterklass Tasks, and considering what to do for the other ones.  Meanwhile, as soon as I finish Jurassic Park, the next audio book I'm starting will be Alan Cumming's Not My Father's Son.  I'm almost done with Midnight Sacrifice; it's a slow going book, and I'm dropping the series after this installment because judging by the first two books of the series, I'm not going to like the rest of Melinda Leigh's writing.

So next on the agenda will be The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett.  And I'm also looking at starting the Blackthorn & Grim series by Juliet Marillier.

 

 

The Festive Card:

 

 

Peek-a-Boo Penni Claus = Completed Book Task

Magnetic "Elfin" Monkey = Completed Non-Book Tasks

 

 

My Progress:

Overall Total Points Earned:  41
Books Read:  3
Tasks Completed:  38

Current Tasks:

• Door 1 | Dia de los Muertos Book Task -- Reread of Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton
• Door 9 | Thanksgiving Book Task -- Reading Midnight Sacrifice by Melinda Leigh
• Door 14 | Hanukkah Task 2 -- Looking for more candles...
• Door 23 | Hogswatch Book Task -- Reading The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett

**For my own sanity purposes, I will link the main post for each door at the top of each table.  All tasks listed under 'My Activity' will more than likely be found at the main post; otherwise, the link will be included for that particular task if a separate post is published outside of the main post, such as book reviews.  Thanks!**

 

 

Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Re-read an old favorite from a now-deceased author, a book from a finished (dead) series, or a book set in Mexico.	Current Read: 'Jurassic Park' by Michael Crichton	TBA
Task 1	Write a silly poem or limerick poking fun at the fiction character of your choice.	-- SKIP-- I don't poem...	XX
Task 2	Share your favorite gravestone epitaph (you know you have one).	Posted Activity: Two epitaphs found - one with Kay's fudge recipe	11/04/2018
Task 3	Create an altar (either digital or physical) for your favorite book, series, or book character, and post a picture of it. Inclusion of book cover encouraged.	-- SKIP -- No ideas for this one	XX
Task 4	If you like Mexican food, treat yourself to your favorite dish and share a photo of it.	Posted Activity: Tamales at home for lunch!	11/10/2018

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Set in the UK, political thrillers, involving any monarchy or revolution; books about arson or related to burning.	Possible Reads: -- 'The Scarlet Pimpernel' by Baroness Emmuska Orczy -- 'Chasing Fire' by Nora Roberts	TBA
Task 1	Burn a book in effigy. Not that anyone of us would do such a thing, but if you HAD to, which book would be the one you’d sacrifice to the flames (gleefully or not)?	Posted Activity: Chose book: 'The Iron Daughter' by Julie Kagawa	11/05/2018
Task 2	List your top 3 treasonous crimes against books. Not ones you’ve committed, but the ones you think are the worst.	Posted Activity: 1) Burning; 2) Defacing; 3) Borrowing and not returning, or returning damaged	11/05/2018
Task 3	Share your favorite / most memorable BBQ recollections or recipe, or your favorite recipe for food “flambé” (i.e., doused with alcohol which is then set aflame and allowed to burn off).	Posted Activity: Korean BBQ for the wins!	11/05/2018
Task 4	Find 5 uses of the word “gunpowder” in book titles in contexts other than for blowing up things or shooting people (e.g., Gunpowder Green by Laura Childs = tea).	-- Will probably SKIP this one --	XX

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	About horses or a horse on the cover. Books with roses on the cover or about gardening; anything set in Australia.	Possible Reads: 'The Rose Garden' by Susanna Kearsley	TBA
Task 1	Pick your ponies! MbD will post the horses scheduled to race as soon as they’re released; everyone picks the three they think will finish (in any order).	Finished Activity: Horses chosen / Winners announced / no bonus points	11/06/2018
Task 2	Cup day is all about the hats. Post a picture of your favorite hat, whether it’s one you own or not.	Posted Activity: My cadet hat and my 'This is my happy face' hat!	11/06/2018
Task 3	The coloring of the “horse of a different color” in the movie version of The Wizard of Oz was created by rubbing the horse’s fur with jello. What’s the weirdest use of jello you’ve ever come across?	Posted Activity: Jello as hair dye.  A short memory from high school	11/09/2018
Task 4	Have you ever been to or participated in a competition involving horses (racing, jumping, dressage, whatever)? Tell us about it. Photos welcome, too!	Posted Activity: My first horse track racing experience in Dallas!	11/06/2018

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read a book with candles on the cover or the word “candle” or “light” in the title; OR a book that is the latest in a series; OR set in India; OR any non-fiction book that is ‘illuminating’ (Diwali is Sanskrit for light/knowledge and row, line or series)	Possible Read: -- 'The Woman Left Behind' by Linda Howard -- 'The Governess Game' by Tessa Dare -- 'Dim Sum of All Fears' by Vivien Chien	TBA
Task 1	Share a picture of your favorite light display.	Work in Progress (possible skip / still considering)	TBA
Task 2	Cleaning is a big part of this holiday; choose one of your shelves, real or virtual, and tidy / organise it.  Give us the before and after photos. OR Tidy up 5 of the books on your BookLikes shelves by adding the CORRECT cover, and/or any other missing information.  (If in doubt, see here: State of the Database: BookLikes database, Halloween Bingo, and a mini-rant - with pictures.).	-- Probably going to SKIP this one --	XX
Task 3	Eating sweets is also a big part of Diwali. Either select a recipe for a traditional sweet, or make a family favorite and share a picture with us.	Posted Activity: So many sweet soups!	11/25/2018
Task 4	During Diwali, people pray to the goddess Lakhshmi, who is typically depicted as a beautiful young woman holding a lotus flower.  Find 5 books on your shelves (either physical or virtual) whose covers show a young woman holding a flower and share their cover images.	Posted Activity: Five books with young women holding flower; found with some difficulty, but successful!	11/08/2018

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read any book involving wars, battles, where characters are active military or veterans, or with poppies on the cover.	Possible Reads: 'Behind Enemy Lines' by Cindy Dees	TBA
Task 1	Using book covers (real or virtual), create a close approximation of your country’s flag (either of residence or birth), OR a close approximation of a poppy. Take a pic of your efforts and post.	Posted Activitiy: The Penni Book Cover Poppy!!  With Monkey, too!	11/13/2018
Task 2	Make an offer of peace (letter, gift, whatever) to a book character who has particularly annoyed you this year.	-- SKIPPING this one --	XX
Task 3	Tell us: What author’s books would you consider yourself a veteran of (i.e., by which author have you read particularly many books – or maybe even all of them)?	Posted Activity: Jayne Ann Krentz / Honorable Mention goes to Jill Shalvis	TBA
Task 4	Treat yourself to a slice of poppy seedcake and post a photo. If you want to make it yourself, try out this recipe: Poppy Seed Cake @ tastesbetterfromscratch.com … or this one: Lemon Poppy Seed Cake @ bbcgoodfood.com	-- SKIPPING this one too --	XX

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read any fiction/non-fiction about tolerance or a book that’s outside your normal comfort zone. (Tolerance can encompass anything you generally struggle with, be it sentient or not.) OR Read a book set in Paris.	Possible Reads: TBA	TBA
Task 1	Find some redeeming quality in the book you liked least this year and post about it.	Posted Activity: Chose book, This Wicked Gift by Courtney Milan	11/19/2018
Task 2	Tell us: What are the tropes (up to 5) that you are not willing to live with in any book (i.e., which are absolutely beyond your capacity for tolerance) and which make that book an automatic DNF for you? (Insta-love? Love triangles? First person present narrative voice? Talking animals? The dog dies? What else?)	Posted Activity: Long-winded talk about 5 tropes -- see main post	11/19/2018
Task 3	The International Day for Tolerance is a holiday declared by an international organization (UNESCO). Create a charter (humorous, serious, whatever strikes your fancy) for an international organization of readers.	-- Going to SKIP this one --	XX
Task 4	UNESCO is based in Paris. Paris is known for its pastries and its breads: Either find a baker that specializes in pastries and bring home an assortment for your family, or make your own pastries using real butter and share a photo with us.	Posted Activity: French Macaroons!!	11/19/2018

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	If you can find a copy, read Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet. Or read any book about a leader of a movement, nation, religion or large group, OR read a book with a green cover OR with a half moon on the cover.	Possible Reads: 'Tower of Thorns' by Juliet Marillier	TBA
Task 1	Make two “prophesies” you think will come to fruition in 2019 in your personal or reading life.	Posted Activity: Prophesies for cleaning and purging!	11/20/2018
Task 2	The Five Pillars of Islam include almsgiving and the pilgrimage to Mekka. Tell us: Have you ever donated books or rescued them from (horror of horrors) being trashed? Alternatively: Is there a book-related place that is a place of pilgrimage to you?	Posted Activity: I have donated books to the library and Goodwill!	11/20/2018
Task 3	Prophets are messengers. Tell us: Which book characters are your favorite messengers (no matter whether humans, angels, (demi)gods, etc.)?	Posted Activity: Messengers chosen: 1) Hedwig / 2) Ponies / 3) GLaDOS... Oh My!	11/20/2018
Task 4	Muhammad was a merchant before becoming a religious leader. List 5 books on your shelves in which a key character makes / undergoes a radical career change.	Posted Activity: 5 characters listed -- see main door post above	11/20/2018

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read any book concerning a man / woman of the cloth, a book about a character hiding a guilty secret or searching for absolution.	Possible Reads: TBA	TBA
Task 1	“Confess” your book habits. Dog-earring? Laying books face down? Bending back the spines? Skimming? OR: Confess your guilty reading pleasure, or comfort reads.	Posted Activities: Habits confessed!  And also, comfort reads are obviously Romantic Suspense, right?	11/24/2018
Task 2	It’s “Pennants” day according to MbD’s husband: post a picture of your favorite team’s logo / mascot and the last time they’ve won a championship (or not).	-- SKIPPING -- COMPLETED I don't sports... but... Per our lovely game host, I get to count my 'Team Book Nerd' pennant!	11/24/2018
Task 3	In centuries gone by, penance would often end up in what might be described as a very extended bad hair day (complete with sackcloth and ashes). Tell us: What’s a bad hair day to you – and what (if anything) do you do about it?	Posted Activity: Everyday is a bad hair day.	11/24/2018
Task 4	Early Christian spiritualists would sometimes do penance by spending time in the desert. If you’ve ever visited a desert region (or even live there), post a picture and tell us about it. Alternatively, post a picture of sand dunes (NOT with water in the background!).	-- Probably SKIP --	XX

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Autumnal covers, set in New England, or a turkey shows up in the story.	Current Read: 'Midnight Sacrifice' by Melinda Leigh	TBA
Task 1	List the 3 books you’ve read this year you’re most “thankful” for (your favs) or the one book you’ve ever read that changed your life for the better.	Posted Activity: Listed books!  Four total instead of three.	11/25/2018
Task 2	Describe your perfect meal. What would you cook for the perfect celebration, or, what would you have your imaginary personal chef cook for you?	Posted Activity: Chinese seafood banquet feast!	11/25/2018
Task 3	Name a book you’ve read this year that you thought was full of “stuffing”.	Possible Activities: Work in progress...	TBA
Task 4	Show us your 2018 book “harvest” – the books you newly acquired this year, regardless whether bought, received as gift or in whichever other way.	Possible Activities: About 20+ books listed	11/25/2018

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read a book that takes place at sea or on a river OR with water on the cover OR where the plot involves a festival or the moon plays a pivotal role in the plot.	Possible Reads: TBA	TBA
Task 1	Make a paper boat and post a picture of it. Instructions, if needed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiAWx8odStA	Posted Activity: Fleet of ships! And a Supplementary Post!	11/26/2018
Task 2	If you’ve ever attended a procession or an event involving festively decked out boats, post a picture and tell us about it.	-- SKIP! -- I've never attended one of these.	XX
Task 3	Bon Om Touk celebrates the end of the rainy season. Tell us: What’s your favorite type of rainy day book – and do you have a favorite drink or snack to go with your rainy day reading? Photos welcome!	Possible Activities: Any books! But especially Rom-Suspense. With hot tea and sweets.	11/26/2018
Task 4	Which are your 3 favorite books where a key character is “moonlighting”?	Possible Activities: Characters/books chosen - see main post.	11/26/2018

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read a book set in Russia, or involving a story within a story / play within a play (like the Russian matryoshka dolls stuck inside each other), or where a key character (not necessarily the protagonist) is a mother.	Possible Reads: TBA	TBA
Task 1	Tell us: What is the mother of all writerly sins in your book (tropes, grammar mistakes, telling instead of showing, etc.)?	Posted: The sin: Not respecting the craft.	12/01/2018
Task 2	Do you have a favorite Mothers’ Day memory that you are happy to share? Photos welcome but optional.	Posted: A random Mothers' Day memory.	12/01/2018
Task 3	Perhaps the best-known scene in the James Bond novel and film From Russia With Love is 007 being poisoned by Russian agent Rosa Klebb with a venom-laced blade hidden in her shoe. Tell us: Have you ever owned any particular / outrageous / funny / best-beloved or otherwise special pair of shoes?  Post a photo if you should still own them.	Posted: Oh my, shoes!  I love shoes!  I have a lot of shoes!	12/01/2018
Task 4	Make a traditional Russian dish like borscht, blintzes, pirogi or solyanka soup, and share a picture with us. Find recipe suggestions here: https://www.expatica.com/ru/about/Top-10-Russian-foods-and-recipes_108678.html	In Progress: Going to try this one.	TBA

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Andrew was the first apostle; read the first book in a series.  OR: Andrew and Peter were brothers; read a book about brothers.  OR: Read books about or set in Scotland or by a Scottish author, or set in Charleston, South Carolina (which is where the celebrations as we know them today began – by a group of Scottish expats – according to scotland.org).	Planned Read: 'Not My Father's Son' by Alan Cumming	TBA
Task 1	Nominate someone for sainthood.  Who?  Why?	Under consideration: This one will require some thought.	TBA
Task 2	St Andrew is revered in many countries, particularly in Eastern Europe, where he worked as a Christian missionary, long before his relics were brought to Scotland centuries later. – Tell us: Is there a book (regardless whether fiction or nonfiction) for which you would basically walk up to strangers and tell them: “Read this!”? What would you say and do to get people to read that particular book?	Posted Thoughts: I'm not likely to recommend books, to be honest.	12/06/2018
Task 3	Legend has it that the saltire or St. Andrew’s cross (white on an azure background) – which constitutes the national flag of Scotland – originated as a cloud formation, symbolizing St. Andrew’s being crucified on an X-shaped cross rather than an upright one.  Do you have any pictures of unusual cloud formations?  If so, share them with us!	-- Gonna SKIP --	XX
Task 4	The town of St. Andrews, where the saint’s bones ended up in the course of the spread of Christianity to Scotland, is also famous for its golf course and tournament.  List your 3 favorite books where golf is key to the plot.	-- SKIP, most likely --	XX

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Advent also means “second coming”: Read a pastiche, or a book written by an “authorised author” by the deceased author’s estate. OR: There are four Sundays in Advent. Read the fourth book of a series or a book with the word “four” in the title.	Possible Reads: TBA	TBA
Task 1	Post a picture of your advent calendar - store bought or homemade.	Posted: It's Wine O'Clock Somewhere!	12/06/2018
Task 2	The holidays season is in full swing – tell us: What’s your favorite tradition?	Posted: No real traditions...	12/06/2018
Task 3	The tradition of carol singing in the Advent / holiday season is linked to the old Anglo-Saxon (and medieval) custom of wassailing (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wassailing). Prepare an apple cider wassail bowl or a wassail bowl containing your favorite drink or fruit. Post a picture and enjoy!	Possible Activities: I might try this one at some point.  =D	TBA
Task 4	Make your own Advent wreath and share a picture of it. Instructions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWw83CCa2cg	-- SKIP, SKIP, SKIP! -- Nope, nope, nope...	XX

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read a book about light, miracles, characters who are Jewish or books set in Israel. OR: Hanukkah commemorates the re-dedication of the second temple in the second century; read the second book in a series or a book with the word “second” or “two” in the title.	Read / Retroactively Claimed: 'Midnight Blue-Light Special' by Seanan McGuire	12/01/2018
Task 1	Have you had any miracles in your life?  (Kids are a given.)  Just enough change for tolls?  Just enough gas to get you to the station?  Been tragically late for a flight only to find the flight was even more tragically delayed?  Nothing is too small - share your miracles with us!	Posted: Lots of miracles.	12/07/2018
Task 2	Light 9 candles each representing something you’re thankful for (share a picture with us; sharing anything else is optional).	In Progress: Need more candles...	TBA
Task 3	Have a donut – and let us share it via a photo. Homemade donuts and shared recipes encouraged … but any donut will do just fine.	Posted: Had a donut!  It was chocolate!	12/07/2018
Task 4	A miracle crucial to Hanukkah is the Miracle of the cruse of oil, which concerns a jug of oil that (ostensibly) only contained enough oil for a single day, but miraculously turned out to last all of eight days. – Miracles aside, tell us: Have you ever experienced that something you had bought or you owned lasted a lot longer than anticipated … or where you expected a shortage which then fortuitously didn’t occur after all?	Posted: Work place supplies... and at home everlasting conditioner.	12/07/2018

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read any book with an orange or red cover or with nuts, chocolate or coins on the cover, set in The Netherlands or Germany, by a Dutch or German author, or with canals or beer on the cover.	Possible Reads: TBA	TBA
Task 1	Write a book wish list to St. Nick.	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 2	You are King / Queen for the day and can have 3 ‘wishes’: one for yourself, one for your community (however you define it), and one for the world: What are they?	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 3	If your holiday family traditions should include bowls or plates filled with gingerbread, cookies, oranges / tangerines, chocolate, nuts and the like, share a photo with us!	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 4	List your 3 favorite books involving children being rescued from serious peril.	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	TBA	Possible Reads: TBA	TBA
Task 1	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 2	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 3	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 4	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	TBA	Possible Reads: TBA	TBA
Task 1	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 2	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 3	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 4	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read any book that takes place in December; OR with ice or snow on the cover; OR that revolves around the (summer or winter) equinox; OR a collection of poetry by Hafez	Read: 'Midnight Exposure' by Melinda Leigh	11/17/2018
Task 1	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 2	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 3	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 4	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read any comedy, parody, or satire	Possible Reads: TBA	TBA
Task 1	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 2	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 3	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 4	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read any Christmas book.	Planned Read: 'How the Dukes Stole Christmas' anthology	TBA
Task 1	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 2	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 3	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 4	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read a book set in Africa or the Caribbean; OR by an African, Caribbean, or African-American author; OR a book with a green, red, or black cover.	Possible Reads: -- 'Tower of Thorns' by Juliet Marillier -- 'Den of Wolves' by Juliet Marillier	TBA
Task 1	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 2	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 3	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 4	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read a book about endings, new starts, or books where things go BOOM!	Read: 'The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs' by Steve Brusatte	11/06/2018
Task 1	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 2	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 3	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 4	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read anything by Terry Pratchett	Planned Read: 'The Light Fantastic' by Terry Pratchett	TBA
Task 1	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 2	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 3	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 4	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA

 

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Task		My Activity / Link to Post	Date Completed
Book	Read a book with three main characters; OR a book about traveling on a journey to a faraway place; OR a book that's part of a trilogy; OR with a star on the cover; OR with the word "twelve" or "night" in the title; OR concerning kings or spices	Possible Read: 'Dreamer's Pool by Juliet Marillier	TBA
Task 1	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 2	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 3	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA
Task 4	TBA	Possible Activities: TBA	TBA