Nothing But Reading Challenges discussion

Every year, like clockwork, sport's enthusiasts across America gather in front of their T.V.s and participate in a little thing called March Madness. Well move over sports lovers because readers are taking back March! (Original challenge credit goes to Sashana)

How this challenge works
First, select one of the colleges listed below in the Big Ten list. Then decide on whether you want to read (*)for the team’s nickname, colors, mascot, coach or all four! List the letters of whatever you choose to read vertically and then read the word.
Example
Northwestern University (nickname)
W
I
L
D
C
A
T
S

Duration: March 1- April 30

Levels:
Terps: 1-7 books
Hoosiers: 8-15 books
Cornhuskers: 16-23 books
Badgers: 24 + books

THE BIG TEN

1) University of Iowa
Nickname: Hawkeyes
Colors: black and gold
Mascot: Herky the Hawk
Coach: Fran McCaffery

2) Michigan State University
Nickname: Spartans
Colors: green and white
Mascot: Sparty
Coach: Tom Izzo

3) University of Minnesota
Nickname: Golden Gophers
Colors: maroon and gold
Mascot: Goldy Gopher
Coach: Richard Pitino

4) Northwestern University
Nickname: Wildcats
Colors: purple
Mascot: Willie the Wildcat
Coach: Sean Miller

5) Ohio State University
Nickname: Buckeyes
Colors: scarlet and gray
Mascot: Brutus Buckeye
Coach: Chris Holtmann

6) Pennsylvania State University
Nickname: Nittany Lions (or Nittany Lady Lions)
Colors: blue and white
Mascot: Nittany Lion
Coach: Pat Chambers

7) Purdue University
Nickname: Boilermakers
Colors: black and gold
Mascot: Boilermaker Special
Coach: Matt Painter

8) University of Wisconsin
Nickname: Badgers
Colors: cardinal and white
Mascot: Bucky Badger
Coach: Greg Gard

9) University of Illinois
Nickname: Fighting Illini
Colors: red and orange
Mascot: none (but previously Chief Illiniwek)
Coach: Brad Underwood

10) Indiana University
Nickname: Hoosiers
Colors: cream and crimson
Mascot: (none)
Coach: Archie Miller

11) University of Michigan
Nickname: Wolverines
Colors: maize & blue
Mascot: none
Coach: Juwan Howard

12) Rutgers University
Nickname: Scarlet Knights
Colors: Scarlet
Mascot: Scarlet Knight
Coach: Steve Pikiell

13) University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Nickname: Cornhuskers
Colors: Scarlet & Cream
Mascot: Herbie Husker & Li'l Red
Coach: Fred Hoiberg

14) University of Maryland
Nickname: Terps
Colors: Red, White, Black & Gold
Mascot: Testudo
Coach: Mark Turgeon

(*)Spell-it-Out Rules
Using the first letter in the book’s title, the first letter of the series name, the first letter in the author’s first or last name, or the first letter of a character’s first, last, or nick-name, or the first letter in the audio book narrator's first or last name.
If you are reading a translated version, you can also use the first letter of the translator's first or last name.

If the first letter of a title starts with ‘A’, ‘An’, ‘The’, etc., you may use the first letter of the second word in the title to spell out your chosen word.


Note:
In 2011 we started this challenge, and we've now decided to start a new thread for the challenge to freshen it up a bit! You can find the old thread HERE

Seasonal Challenges ~ Citrine Coin

Earn your Citrine Coins with Seasonal Challenges joined on or after April 1, 2016.

To Earn a Citrine Coin:
One Coin upon reaching highest book level : "Badger."

Learn about Gem coins here

Participants

Cassandra

Deanie

Jenny

Kaley
Katherine

LaurLa

Pam from Maine

Raining

Suzanne

Tari
#Teresa

r

I am in for the University of Wisconsin.

Bucky rules!!!!!!!!!!

B One Grave Less (A: Beverly) 3/22
A A Second Chance 3/1
D The Firmament of Flame (A: Drew) 3/5
G The Grace Year 3/4
E Once Upon a Short Story: Volume One: Six Short Retellings of Favorite Fairy Tales 3/8
R The Rhodes Case 3/8
S Still Life With Crows 4/7

C Circus Of The Dead, Book #1 3/1
A A Trail Through Time 3/8
R The Roaring Of The Labyrinth 3/6
D The Dinner List 3/17
I Lies, Damned Lies, and History (C: Isabella) 3/18
N No Time Like the Past 3/10
A Crooked River (C: Aloysius) 3/12
L Legend 3/10
A You Are Dead. (A: Andrew) 3/15
N Zombies in Love (A: Nora) 3/21
D Murder in Italy: Midwest Cozy Mystery Series (A: Dianne) 3/22
W What Could Possibly Go Wrong? 3/15
H Murder and Brandy Boy (A: Harman) 3/24
I Even Tree Nymphs Get the Blues (C: Ingrid) 4/3
T The Surgeon 4/7
E The Empress of Salt and Fortune 3/25

B The Long and Short of It (C: Barclay) 3/30
U Unicorn of Glass 3/30
C The Sun Down Motel (C: Carly) 3/26
K Her Silhouette, Drawn in Water (A: Kaftan) 3/25
Y Interior Chinatown (A: Yu) 3/17
B Beach Blanket Barbie 3/27
A All Those Explosions Were Someone Else's Fault 3/15
D Drew + Fable Forever 3/24
G When We Were Vikings (C: Gert) 3/21
E Hope for the Best (C: Ellis) 3/27
R Bats & Bling (C: Ronnie) 4/3

G And the Rest is History (C: Guthrie) 3/21
R Relic 4/2
E The Most Beautiful One: A Magical Retelling of Beauty and the Beast (A: Elise) 3/31
G An Argumentation of Historians (C: Guthrie) 3/25
G The Holdout (A: Graham) 3/30
A Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians 4/4
R Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (A: Rowling)4/7
D Dragon of Glass 3/28

I am in for University of Michigan. Go Wolverines!

U
N--Nail Biter 3/21
I--Irreparable Harm
V--Virgil's Herd
E The Enchanted April 3/7
R--Robyn Carr wrote Shelter Mountain
S Still Life with Strings
I--Ignited
T--Tempting the Deputy
Y

O--Once Upon A Holiday
F

M My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George 3/7
I
C--Beauty from Pain by Georgia Cates 3/2
H--Distant Shores by Kristin Hannah 3/1
I
G--Giving Up the Boss by Victoria Davies
A Accidental Protector by Nicole Snow 3/10
N Nalini Singh wrote Silver Silence

W--What Happened in Granite Creek 3/5
O
L L.H. Cosway wrote Still Life with Strings
V
E--Eligible Receivers 4/7
R--Barbara Ross Wrote Sealed Off
I
N--N. R. Walker wrote Blind Faith
E--Elizabeth St. Michel wrote Light of My Heart
--LaVyrle Spencer wrote That Camden Summer

Hello! I am in for the other Michigan State if possible please. If not then, can I please get Rutgers University?

Michigan State University
S
P
A
R
T
A
N
S

Rutgers University
S
C
A
R
L
E
T
K
N
I
G
H
T
S

Pennsylvania State University
N
I
T
T
A
N
Y
L
A
D
Y
L
I
O
N
S

Badgers Level (9/45)
3/1 - 4/30
University of Iowa
H - The Housekeeper 4/24/20
A
W - Welcome To Wherever You Are 3/26/20
K - The Kitchen House 3/31/20
E
Y
E
S - The Sky is Mine 3/17/20

B - Buried in My Past 4/15/20
L
A
C - The Camel Club 3/3/20
K

G
O
L
D

H
E
R
K
Y
T - There There 4/19/20
H
E
H
A
W - Watching 4/10/20
K

F
R
A
N
M
C - The Collectors 4/20/20
C
A
F
F
E
R
Y

Can I be in for Michigan state?

S
P
A
R
T
A
N
S

Being a family torn when our hometown Ohio State plays daughter's alum, Purdue lol (Actually we're just happy when our teams beat "that state up north" or "that other university in Indiana." ;)

March Madness
March 1-April 30, 2020
level 16-23, finished 3/28/20

Ohio State University 8/8
Brecher, Christin author--Murder Makes Scents Christin Brecher 3/2/20
U Until Jam Do Us Part Donna Walo Clancy 3/22/20
Cahoon, Lynn author--Killer Green Tomatoes Lynn Cahoon 3/16/20
Kaye George author--Revenge Is Sweet Kaye George 3/12/20
Essie Lang author--Death on the Page Essie Lang 3/10/20
Yates, Roscoe-character--The Dog Who Knew Too Much Krista Davis 3/28/20
Erickson, Alex author--Death by Tea Alex Erickson 3/15/20
S The Sweet Dreams Bake Shop J.A. Whiting 3/3/20

Purdue University 12/12
Beatrice Koester, character--Fudge Cupcake Murder Joanne Fluke 3/8/20
O'Connor, Carlene--Murder in an Irish Village Carlene O'Connor 3/17/20
Isabella Alan--Murder, Plain and Simple Isabella Alan 3/21/20
Lane, Abigail mc--Murder at First Sight Shelly West 3/11/20
Emily, character--Rest in Peach Susan Furlong 3/24/20
Rev. Annabelle Dixon series--Death at the Café Alison Golden 3/14/20
M Murder So Sweet J.A. Whiting 3/5/20
Angie Roseland mc--Sweet Secrets J.A. Whiting 3/6/20
Kappes, Tonya author--Southern Fried Tonya Kappes 3/13/20
Esther--On What Grounds Cleo Coyle 3/26/20
Rivers, Megan author--Murder in Aisle Three: An Alton Oaks Mystery Megan Rivers 3/9/20
Sarah Graves author--Death by Chocolate Frosted Doughnut Sarah Graves 3/4/20

I'm an American East (UNH!) gal, but for this challenge I say Go Wisconsin!

March Madness
March 1, 2020 - April 30, 2020

Going for Badger Level: 24+ Books

Nickname: 5/7
✔B- Baldacci, David - A Minute to Midnight: 4/1/2020
✔A- Alex Erickson - Death By Pumpkin Spice: 4/23/2020
✔D- Death Over Easy: 3/7/2020
G-
✔E- Elliott, Lauren - Prologue to Murder: 3/21/2020
✔R- Reputation: 3/7/2020
S-

Mascot: 0/11
Bucky Badger

Coach: 0/8
Greggard

Colors: 6/13
C
✔A - Alice Blanchard - Trace of Evil: 4/28/2020
R
✔D - Day, Maddie - Murder on Cape Cod: 4/13/2020
✔I - An Incantation of Cats: 3/30/2020
N
A
✔L - Laura Levine - This Pen for Hire: 3/8/2020
(&)
W
✔H - Henry, Julia - Pruning the Dead: 4/6/2020
I
✔T - Tui T. Sutherland - The Menagerie: 4/12/2020
E

Welcome to March Madness!

everyone is linked up HERE

Nothing But Reading Challenges
March: March Madness Reading Challenge
Duration: March 1- April 30

Progress: 0 out of 24
Levels:
Terps: 1-7 books
Hoosiers: 8-15 books
Cornhuskers: 16-23 books
Badgers: 24 + books

Every year, like clockwork, sport's enthusiasts across America gather in front of their T.V.s and participate in a little thing called March Madness. Well move over sports lovers because readers are taking back March! (Original challenge credit goes to Sashana)

How this challenge works
First, select one of the colleges listed below in the Big Ten list. Then decide on whether you want to read for the team’s nickname, colors, mascot, coach or all four! List the letters of whatever you choose to read vertically and then read the word.
Example
Northwestern University (nickname)
W
I
L
D
C
A
T
S

THE BIG TEN

1) University of Iowa
Nickname: Hawkeyes
Colors: black and gold
Mascot: Herky the Hawk
Coach: Fran McCaffery

2) Michigan State University
Nickname: Spartans
Colors: green and white
Mascot: Sparty
Coach: Tom Izzo

3) University of Minnesota
Nickname: Golden Gophers
Colors: maroon and gold
Mascot: Goldy Gopher
Coach: Richard Pitino

4) Northwestern University
Nickname: Wildcats
Colors: purple
Mascot: Willie the Wildcat
Coach: Sean Miller

5) Ohio State University
Nickname: Buckeyes
Colors: scarlet and gray
Mascot: Brutus Buckeye
Coach: Chris Holtmann

6) Pennsylvania State University
Nickname: Nittany Lions (or Nittany Lady Lions)
Colors: blue and white
Mascot: Nittany Lion
Coach: Pat Chambers

7) Purdue University
Nickname: Boilermakers
Colors: black and gold
Mascot: Boilermaker Special
Coach: Matt Painter

8) University of Wisconsin
Nickname: Badgers
Colors: cardinal and white
Mascot: Bucky Badger
Coach: Greg Gard

9) University of Illinois
Nickname: Fighting Illini
Colors: red and orange
Mascot: none (but previously Chief Illiniwek)
Coach: Brad Underwood

10) Indiana University
Nickname: Hoosiers
Colors: cream and crimson
Mascot: (none)
Coach: Archie Miller

11) University of Michigan
Nickname: Wolverines
Colors: maize & blue
Mascot: none
Coach: Juwan Howard

12) Rutgers University
Nickname: Scarlet Knights
Colors: Scarlet
Mascot: Scarlet Knight
Coach: Steve Pikiell

13) University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Nickname: Cornhuskers
Colors: Scarlet & Cream
Mascot: Herbie Husker & Li'l Red
Coach: Fred Hoiberg

14) University of Maryland
Nickname: Terps
Colors: Red, White, Black & Gold
Mascot: Testudo
Coach: Mark Turgeon

Welcome Suzanne!

March Madness Reading Challenge
March - April 2020

My March Madness Challenge (msg 15)

Level ~ Badgers: 24 + Books | 34 Books Read

Indiana University

HOOSIERS

✅🍬H ~ Hidden Prey ~ 03.01 ★★★
✅🍬O ~ Outtakes from the Grave ~ 03.16 ★★★★
✅🍬O ~ One Starlit Night ~ 04.25 ★★★
✅🍬S ~ Snow-Kissed ~ 03.07 ★★★★★
✅🍬I ~ Invisible Duty ~ 04.11 ★★★
✅🍬E ~ Emergency Attraction ~ 03.12 ★★★★
✅🍬R ~ Robb, J.D. ~ Concealed in Death ~ 03.27 ★★★★
✅🍬S ~ So Tough to Tame ~ 03.09 ★★★★

CREAM

✅🍬C ~ Controlled Burn ~ 03.28 ★★★★
✅🍬R ~ Robyn Peterman ~ Fashionably Dead Down Under ~ 03.07 ★★★
✅🍬E ~ Edwards, Sandra ~ Yesterday's Promise ~ 03.10 ★★
✅🍬A ~ Axeman's Jazz ~ 04.28 ★★★
✅🍬M ~ Miranda Barnes ~ A Place of Her Own ~ 04.25 ★★★

CRIMSON

✅🍬C ~ Coming Home ~ 03.18 ★★★★
✅🍬R ~ Romes, Jan ~ Stella in Stilettos ~ 03.22 ★★★
✅🍬I ~ Invisible Magic ~ 03.31 ★★★
✅🍬M ~ McCallan, Trish ~ Forged in Smoke ~ 03.04 ★★★★
✅🍬S ~ Sugar Free ~ 03.23 ★★★
✅🍬O ~ Olivia Kline (c) ~ Raining Men and Corpses ~ 04.25 ★★★
✅🍬N ~ Nowhere Near Respectable ~ 03.09 ★★★★


Northwestern University

WILDCATS

✅🍬W ~ Wedding Cake and Big Mistakes ~ 04.02 ★★★
✅🍬I ~ It's a Wonderful Fireman ~ 03.15 ★★★★
✅🍬L ~ Lothaire ~ 03.20 ★★★★
✅🍬D ~ Dangerous Affairs ~ 03.16 ★★★
✅🍬C ~ Carolyn Haines ~ Greedy Bones ~ 03.07 ★★★★
✅🍬A ~ Adair, Cherry ~ Hot Ice ~ 03.14 ★★★★
✅🍬T ~ Twenty-Nine and a Half Reasons ~ 03.22 ★★★
✅🍬S ~ The Stopover ~ 04.29 ★★★★

PURPLE

✅🍬P ~ Patterson, James ~ 3rd Degree ~ 03.29 ★★★★
✅🍬U ~ Usher, Donna Joy ~ Cocoa and Chanel ~ 03.20 ★★★
✅🍬R ~ Risk ~ 04.16 ★★★★
✅🍬P ~ The Paris Incident: Finale ~ 03.005 ★★★
✅🍬L ~ Lover Avenged ~ 03.28 ★★★★
✅🍬E ~ Elena Aitkens ~ Hidden Gifts ~ 04.11 ★★★

University of Iowa

Nickname: Hawkeyes 3/8
H - The Tattooist of Auschwitz Heather Morris- Read 1/3/20
A -
W - Weapon Lynette Noni Read 2/3/20
K
E
Y
E
S Silver Chris Hammer Read 5/3/20



Colors: black and gold 0/12
B
L
A
C
L

G
O
L
D

Mascot: Herky the Hawk 0/12
H
E
R
K
Y
T
H
E
H
A
W
K

Coach: Fran McCaffery 0/13
F
R
A
N

M
C
C
A
F
F
E
R
Y

Welcome LaurLa & Theresa:-)

March Madness
March 1-April 30, 2020
Completed: 24/24 - FINISHED 4/9/2020

Nickname: Spartans (0/8)
S - Shelter for Sophie by Susan Stoker - 3/15/2020
P - Protecting Summer by Susan Stoker - 3/7/2020
A - An Artful Assassination by Susan Harper - 3/19/2020
R - Rescuing Harley by Susan Stoker - 3/14/2020
T - Trouble in Texas by Susan Harper - 3/10/2020
A - Killer Keys by Mildred Abbott - 3/24/2020
N - North of Need by Laura Kaye - 3/19/2020
S - Shelter for Adeline by Susan Stoker - 3/15/2020

Mascot: Sparty (0/6)
S - Shelter for Elizabeth by Susan Stoker - 3/7/2020
P - Protecting Jessyka by Susan Stoker - 3/7/2020
A - The Boss Who Stole Christmas by Jana Aston - 3/25/2020
R - Rescuing Rayne by Susan Stoker - 3/8/2020
T - The Billionaire Next Door by Christina Tetreault - 4/4/2020
Y - Guard Dog by Sabrina York - 4/8/2020

Colors: Green & White (0/10)
G - Last to Die by Tess Gerritsen - 4/6/2020
R - Ready to Were by Robyn Peterman - 3/3/2020
E - Case of the Hot Dog by Erik Schubach - 3/10/2020
E - Case of the Gold Retriever by Erik Schubach - 3/11/2020
N - The Pagan Stone by Nora Roberts - 3/5/2020

W - Whales and a Watery Grave by Ruby Loren - 3/1/2020
H - The Hollow by Nora Roberts - 3/5/2020
I - Flight by Alyssa Rose Ivy - 3/18/2020
T - SEAL for Her Protection by Paige Tyler - 3/24/2020
E - East of Ecstasy by Laura Kaye - 3/21/2020

Welcome Deanie!

Finished the Cornhuskers 16-23 level at msg. 10

Congratulations Tari!

Moderators of NBRC wrote: "Congratulations Tari!" Thank you!

...And done!!!!! Message 5 above.

Bucky rules!

Congratulations Jenny!

Can I assume this challenge follows the regular Spell-out rules? In other words, using a character's name is acceptable?

LaurLa wrote: "Can I assume this challenge follows the regular Spell-out rules? In other words, using a character's name is acceptable?"

Yes, you can! I 'll edit and add. Thanks LaurLa for spotting that:-)

All done! Thanks for hosting!
Updated post: My March Madness Challenge (msg 15)

Level ~ Badgers: 24 + Books | 34 Books Read

Congratulations LaurLa!