1SqueakyChu
For those new to this challenge: More info and monthly index can be found in post #1 of this thread or this TIOLI FAQS wiki.
...logo by cyderry
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Your challenge for July, 2026, is to
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Read a book with a one-word title beginning with a letter from the first half of the alphabet (A through M) and containing NO numbers
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Rules:
1. Disregard the subtitle
2. The title many not be/contain any number, either spelled out as a word in letters, embedded in a word in letters, or written in digits (Examples of title words NOT acceptable: Atonement, Antigone, 1984, IQ84)
3. The words “a”, “an”, and 'the" count as a word.
4. A hyphenated title word is permitted.
Ideas:
Amrita by Banana Yoshimoto
Butter by Asako Yuzuki
Cherry by Mary Karr
Dimestore by Lee Smith
Educated by Tara Westover
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Geisha by Mineko Iwasaki
Homegoing Yaa Gyasi
It by Stephen King
Jaws by Peter Benchley
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Liquidation by Imre Kertesz
Misery by Stephen King
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Other Stuff (not part of the TIOLI challenge):
1. @FAMeulstee's Our TIOLI Sweeps - maintained by @alcottacre
2. Morphidae's List of Previous TIOLI Challenges (2010-2016) - A reference (Do a control-F scan) to avoid repeating previous challenges. If your idea is similar to a previous challenge, make it unique by adding a new "twist" to it. (Exception: Any challenge previously entered by FAMeulstee)
3. Shared Read Suggestions - (Optional) Plan shared reads by listing books you intend to read
4. The July 2026 TIOLI Meter - (Optional) Track your TIOLI reading. Not competitive--- just fun!
...logo by cyderry
---------------------------------------------------------------
Your challenge for July, 2026, is to
*************************************
Read a book with a one-word title beginning with a letter from the first half of the alphabet (A through M) and containing NO numbers
****************************************
Rules:
1. Disregard the subtitle
2. The title many not be/contain any number, either spelled out as a word in letters, embedded in a word in letters, or written in digits (Examples of title words NOT acceptable: Atonement, Antigone, 1984, IQ84)
3. The words “a”, “an”, and 'the" count as a word.
4. A hyphenated title word is permitted.
Ideas:
Amrita by Banana Yoshimoto
Butter by Asako Yuzuki
Cherry by Mary Karr
Dimestore by Lee Smith
Educated by Tara Westover
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters
Geisha by Mineko Iwasaki
Homegoing Yaa Gyasi
It by Stephen King
Jaws by Peter Benchley
Kindred by Octavia Butler
Liquidation by Imre Kertesz
Misery by Stephen King
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Other Stuff (not part of the TIOLI challenge):
1. @FAMeulstee's Our TIOLI Sweeps - maintained by @alcottacre
2. Morphidae's List of Previous TIOLI Challenges (2010-2016) - A reference (Do a control-F scan) to avoid repeating previous challenges. If your idea is similar to a previous challenge, make it unique by adding a new "twist" to it. (Exception: Any challenge previously entered by FAMeulstee)
3. Shared Read Suggestions - (Optional) Plan shared reads by listing books you intend to read
4. The July 2026 TIOLI Meter - (Optional) Track your TIOLI reading. Not competitive--- just fun!
2SqueakyChu
Index of Challenges:
Challenges #1-6
1. Read a book with a one-word title beginning with the letters of the first half of the alphabet (A through M) and containing NO numbers - msg #1
2. Read a book, fiction or non-fiction, about someone who has gone on a challenging journey by themselves - msg #3
3. Read a book whose title contains a word that is opposite to a word in the starter book title - msg #4
4. Read a book with the word ‘America’ in the title - msg #5
5. Read a book which would have fit a TIOLI challenge in at least two months so far this year - msg #6
6. Read a book in honor of Morphidae's mother's 80th birthday - msg #7
Challenges #7-12
7. Read a book based on a true story or real person - msg #8
8. - msg #
9. - msg #
10. - msg #
11. - msg #
12. - msg #
Challenges #13-18
13. Read a book - msg #
14. - msg #
15. - msg #
16. - msg #
17. - msg #
18. - msg #
Challenges #19=24
19. . Read a book - msg #
20. - msg #
21. - msg #
22. - msg #
23. - msg #
24. - msg #
Post your challenge at any time between now and midnight of July 4, 2026. Thank you.
Challenges #1-6
1. Read a book with a one-word title beginning with the letters of the first half of the alphabet (A through M) and containing NO numbers - msg #1
2. Read a book, fiction or non-fiction, about someone who has gone on a challenging journey by themselves - msg #3
3. Read a book whose title contains a word that is opposite to a word in the starter book title - msg #4
4. Read a book with the word ‘America’ in the title - msg #5
5. Read a book which would have fit a TIOLI challenge in at least two months so far this year - msg #6
6. Read a book in honor of Morphidae's mother's 80th birthday - msg #7
Challenges #7-12
7. Read a book based on a true story or real person - msg #8
8. - msg #
9. - msg #
10. - msg #
11. - msg #
12. - msg #
Challenges #13-18
13. Read a book - msg #
14. - msg #
15. - msg #
16. - msg #
17. - msg #
18. - msg #
Challenges #19=24
19. . Read a book - msg #
20. - msg #
21. - msg #
22. - msg #
23. - msg #
24. - msg #
Post your challenge at any time between now and midnight of July 4, 2026. Thank you.
3dallenbaugh
Challenge #2: Read a book F/NF about someone who has gone on a challenging journey by themselves
4Helenliz
This may take some explaining...
Challenge #3: Read a book whose title contains a word that is opposite to a word in the starter book title
The challenge here is to read books where they contain a word that is an opposite to one of the word in the starter book title.
So I have posted Love in a Cold Climate as starter book 1.
You could read any book with a word that is an opposite to "Love", so anything with hate in the title world work. here.
The opposite of "in" might be out or on, so a book with either of those in the title also counts.
There are loads of opposites of "Cold" any title with hot, boiling, baking, etc etc etc.
Not sure I can think of an opposite of climate, but go ahead & fill your boots if you can!
Be inventive.
As long as the sense of the opposite of the word is maintained, I'm not going to be scanning the thesaurus to tell you you're wrong.
You can also use things that are generally placed in opposition to a word, if not actually it's opposite. You're either a cat person or dog person, they aren't opposites, but "Dog" would be a suitable opposite for "Cat". And as I've also posted "The Cat Who Cracked a Cold Case" as a starter book, any "Dog" titles also count.
Tense. I'm going to say ignore tense here, if your word is plural or in a different tense to the word in the starter books, that's fine. Taking Love as the example, any tense of hate - hating, hated, hater - are all acceptable opposites.
The reverse also applies, I've posted The Girls in the wild fig tree, you're not forced into using girls plural, you can have a singular boy in your title.
Post as may different opposites under each starter title as you like. Please bold your opposite and list the word you are using from the starter title when you enter your books in the wiki.
Can you share a read with a starter title? Yes, of course.
Can you post a new starter title? Yes, but only when each current starter word has 3 books with opposites posted.
Can you use a subtitle? Yes.
Can you use embedded words. This is going to be not when it changes the sense of the word. Taking Cold, you can use hot, hots, hotter, hottest etc. The form of the word retains the sense of hot being the opposite of cold. You cant use Shot, as while it contains hot the S is changing the word so that it no longer means the opposite of cold.
I've probably forgotten something, please ask!
Challenge #3: Read a book whose title contains a word that is opposite to a word in the starter book title
The challenge here is to read books where they contain a word that is an opposite to one of the word in the starter book title.
So I have posted Love in a Cold Climate as starter book 1.
You could read any book with a word that is an opposite to "Love", so anything with hate in the title world work. here.
The opposite of "in" might be out or on, so a book with either of those in the title also counts.
There are loads of opposites of "Cold" any title with hot, boiling, baking, etc etc etc.
Not sure I can think of an opposite of climate, but go ahead & fill your boots if you can!
Be inventive.
As long as the sense of the opposite of the word is maintained, I'm not going to be scanning the thesaurus to tell you you're wrong.
You can also use things that are generally placed in opposition to a word, if not actually it's opposite. You're either a cat person or dog person, they aren't opposites, but "Dog" would be a suitable opposite for "Cat". And as I've also posted "The Cat Who Cracked a Cold Case" as a starter book, any "Dog" titles also count.
Tense. I'm going to say ignore tense here, if your word is plural or in a different tense to the word in the starter books, that's fine. Taking Love as the example, any tense of hate - hating, hated, hater - are all acceptable opposites.
The reverse also applies, I've posted The Girls in the wild fig tree, you're not forced into using girls plural, you can have a singular boy in your title.
Post as may different opposites under each starter title as you like. Please bold your opposite and list the word you are using from the starter title when you enter your books in the wiki.
Can you share a read with a starter title? Yes, of course.
Can you post a new starter title? Yes, but only when each current starter word has 3 books with opposites posted.
Can you use a subtitle? Yes.
Can you use embedded words. This is going to be not when it changes the sense of the word. Taking Cold, you can use hot, hots, hotter, hottest etc. The form of the word retains the sense of hot being the opposite of cold. You cant use Shot, as while it contains hot the S is changing the word so that it no longer means the opposite of cold.
I've probably forgotten something, please ask!
5alcottacre
Challenge #4: “The Independence Day Challenge: Read a book with the word ‘America’ in the title
Subtitles and embedded words are fine
Subtitles and embedded words are fine
6wandering_star
When I switch out my possible TIOLI reads at the start of each month, I often notice that a book listed for the previous month is valid for a different challenge this month. So here is your chance to get to the books that you listed and wanted to read earlier this year, and didn't quite manage to fit in.
Challenge #5: Read a book which would have fit a TIOLI challenge in at least two months so far this year
Challenge #5: Read a book which would have fit a TIOLI challenge in at least two months so far this year
7Morphidae
Challenge 6: Read a book in honor of my mother's 80th birthday
PLEASE state how it relates to my mom on the wiki.
Her name is Dale. July 13th will be her 80th birthday (born in 1946.) She was born in Savannah, Georgia. She has lived most of her life in Florida (currently in Ocala.)
She has been in the commercial real estate business for over thirty years.
As an example, books that could qualify would have a theme about BUYING or SELLING a commercial real estate property (i.e. one that generates income.)
This includes office buildings, industrial property, retail spaces, multifamily, mixed-use, and special purpose (hospitality, healthcare, and others (from self storage to churches) and land (non-residential.)
For a more detailed listing see:
https://www.crexi.com/blog/the-basics-of-commercial-real-estate-property-types
She has won many awards for her work in commercial real estate (a book where someone wins a business award?)
She likes watching shows like Law and Order and Bull or (other type of shows - need to get names.)
☆☆☆☆☆
Some other chances for qualifying books are under the spoiler tag after the related story.
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My mom was anti-pet. She thought dealing with pee and poop was disgusting and couldn't understand why anyone would want to deal with all the hassles (walks, litter boxes, vet visits, "cat butt" on eating surfaces, pet hair, wet dog smell, barking, pets clinging.)
She didn't understand any of it and thought people who had pets were out of their minds.
About 8 or 9 years ago, she and R. (her high school sweetheart), met and started dating again. R. had a chihuahua named Precious. It was bad enough that she was allowed on the furniture, but R. would let her lick his face. A lot.
It was a serious mark against him but she eventually fell deeply in love with him (he had always loved her.) She tolerated the dog but made him wash his face before kissing her.
About four years in, I lost it on a phone call with her. Hysterical, gasping for breath laughter when I heard my mom baby talk to the dog. It didn't help that she was at first saying, "What? What? What's so funny?" And when I told her the baby talk she kept saying, "Shut up! Shut up!" I literally had an asthma attack I was laughing so hard.
From there she continued to go way over to the "dark side," especially after R.'s death. She talks to the dog during every call (Like "What is it, baby? You need to go outside?") Or she'll have to hang up because Precious is "telling her it's time to go to bed."
I stopped laughing at her... eventually. Now I'm just glad she has Precious for company.
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Examples could be a book with:
... an over the top dog "hater" (not a villain) or dog lover
... a second chance or late in life (50+) romance
... a chihuahua on the cover
..."Precious" in the title, author/series/character name
... a main or secondary character who does a complete (and significant) 180 change in opinion
PLEASE state how it relates to my mom on the wiki.
Her name is Dale. July 13th will be her 80th birthday (born in 1946.) She was born in Savannah, Georgia. She has lived most of her life in Florida (currently in Ocala.)
She has been in the commercial real estate business for over thirty years.
As an example, books that could qualify would have a theme about BUYING or SELLING a commercial real estate property (i.e. one that generates income.)
This includes office buildings, industrial property, retail spaces, multifamily, mixed-use, and special purpose (hospitality, healthcare, and others (from self storage to churches) and land (non-residential.)
For a more detailed listing see:
https://www.crexi.com/blog/the-basics-of-commercial-real-estate-property-types
She has won many awards for her work in commercial real estate (a book where someone wins a business award?)
She likes watching shows like Law and Order and Bull or (other type of shows - need to get names.)
☆☆☆☆☆
Some other chances for qualifying books are under the spoiler tag after the related story.
-----
She didn't understand any of it and thought people who had pets were out of their minds.
About 8 or 9 years ago, she and R. (her high school sweetheart), met and started dating again. R. had a chihuahua named Precious. It was bad enough that she was allowed on the furniture, but R. would let her lick his face. A lot.
It was a serious mark against him but she eventually fell deeply in love with him (he had always loved her.) She tolerated the dog but made him wash his face before kissing her.
About four years in, I lost it on a phone call with her. Hysterical, gasping for breath laughter when I heard my mom baby talk to the dog. It didn't help that she was at first saying, "What? What? What's so funny?" And when I told her the baby talk she kept saying, "Shut up! Shut up!" I literally had an asthma attack I was laughing so hard.
From there she continued to go way over to the "dark side," especially after R.'s death. She talks to the dog during every call (Like "What is it, baby? You need to go outside?") Or she'll have to hang up because Precious is "telling her it's time to go to bed."
I stopped laughing at her... eventually. Now I'm just glad she has Precious for company.
-----
Examples could be a book with:
... an over the top dog "hater" (not a villain) or dog lover
... a second chance or late in life (50+) romance
... a chihuahua on the cover
..."Precious" in the title, author/series/character name
... a main or secondary character who does a complete (and significant) 180 change in opinion
9lindapanzo
Read a book with red, white, and/or blue in the title
In honor of our 250th, 3 cheers for the red, white, and blue, so read a book with one or more of these colors in the title. It can be in the subtitle and can be embedded.
In honor of our 250th, 3 cheers for the red, white, and blue, so read a book with one or more of these colors in the title. It can be in the subtitle and can be embedded.
