Have you read something that you really enjoyed and want to give others a reason to try it out because it fits a square? Want to solicit help finding things to read that fit squares? This is a great place to do that.
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Questions, Complaints, Whines, General Commentary, Shitposting…
Why don’t I own more books?!
Because you haven’t fully embraced your book-dragonhood? Build that hoard! :)
I’ve just seen the Storygraph challenge - that makes it easier to keep track, thanks! However I noticed that the announcement and card link are the ones from 2024 so you’re aware :)
Thanks! I knew I was missing some update somewhere. Should be fixed now.
Just like last year, we’ve pre-seeded the Storygraph challenge with ~500 (mostly fiction) books from various genres, if you’re looking for ideas (no account required to browse!).
ETA: The returning categories have different book suggestions from last year, so for even more ideas for those squares, check last year’s Storygraph, too.
1D Minority Author: The author is a member of a generally underrepresented or marginalized demographic where you live, such as LGBTQIA+ or BIPOC. HARD MODE: Belongs to more than one minority group.
Suggestion: anything by Samuel R. Delany
My card: Samuel R. Delany - Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand
3C FREE SPACE - Off Your TBR Pile: A book that’s been on your TBR list for a long time. HARD MODE: Overlaps with at least one other bingo square theme.
4B Alliterative Title: Many books boldly boast alliteration to attract audience attention. HARD MODE: More than 2 alliterative words in the title, excluding definite articles or conjunctions.
For hard mode, I could really only find sequels in series, but here are a few suggestions: Andre Norton - Warlock of the Witch World; Michael Moorcock - The Weird of the White Wolf
My card: Max Gladstone - Full Fathom Five (I’ve been meaning to read the Craft Sequence series anyway.)
1C Featured Creature: A sentient non-humanoid is the primary PoV, or a non-humanoid creature holds such a prominent role that the work would be completely different without them. Examples: Call of the Wild by Jack London or Old Yeller by Fred Gipson. HARD MODE: Not a sci-fi/fantasy creature.
Suggestion: Richard Adams - Watership Down; Richard Adams - The Plague Dogs; Kenneth Grahame - The Wind in the Willows
My card: Richard Adams - Shardik
Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton was a fun take on an apocalypse book, from the perspective of the animals that are left behind. So my plan is to slot the sequel Feral Creatures in here.
3D LGBTQIA+ Lead: A main character identifies as LGBTQIA+. HARD MODE: Includes a significant romantic relationship between characters that identify as LGBTQIA+.
Suggestion: any LGBTQIA+ romance, such as TJ Klune - Under the Whispering Door (or pretty much any other book by this author)
My card: TJ Klune - Wolfsong
3A Based on Folklore: The narrative must be based on a real world piece of folklore. Folklore encompasses fairy tales, fables, myths, and legends. HARD MODE: Non-European folklore.
My card: Katherine Arden - The Bear and the Nightingale
3E Saddle Up: The narrative revolves around someone whose identity is tied to being a rider of something, such as a horse, dragon, or motorcycle. HARD MODE: The ridden creature/object is treated as a character in its own right.
Suggestion: Anne McCaffrey - Dragonriders of Pern; Mercedes Lackey’s Dragon Jousters series or any of the Heralds books from Valdemar; Rebecca Yarros - Fourth Wing
My card: using the first suggestion for this square, Naomi Novik - His Majesty’s Dragon
The Temeraire series by Naomi Novik is a bunch of fun if you’re attracted to the idea of what if they had an air force in the Napoleonic Wars, and oh yeah, they are dragons.
1B Author from a Different Continent: The author(s) resides on a different continent than you do. HARD MODE: The work required translation to be published in your native language.
Suggestion: Dante Alighieri - The Divine Comedy
My card: Kobo Abe - The Woman in the Dunes
Marshland by Otohiko Kaga
4E Gamble, Game, or Contest: Features an organized gamble, game, or contest (life-and-death or otherwise). HARD MODE: Take a gamble on a style or genre of work you don’t typically read, as well.
Suggestion: Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games; Clive Barker - The Damnation Game
My card: Agatha Christie - The Sittaford Mystery
2B Set in War: The work takes place with an active war in the foreground or background. The characters do not need to be directly involved in combat, but the war’s presence must be a primary driver of the narrative. HARD MODE: There are more than 2 factions in the war.
Suggestion: Joe Haldeman - The Forever War
My card: Poul Anderson - The High Crusade
1A Number in the Title: The work must have a number in the title that’s not a just a volume/version number. Example: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid. HARD MODE: Only numbers in the title.
Suggestion: George Orwell - 1984
My card: Kim Stanley Robinson - 2312
The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton is a fun murder mystery with a groundhog’s day aspect
My plan for this one is to go hard mode and read 11/22/63 by Steven King. I’ve heard it’s good. It’s also a crossover with Motion Picture.
I like crossovers where I can find them because it lets me reshuffle them.
4C Judge a Book by Its Cover: Chosen because you like its cover (or cover analogue). HARD MODE: Picked using only the information available on the front cover.
Suggestion: John Wiswell - Someone You Can Build a Nest In
My card: Paolo Bacigalupi, Tobias S. Buckell - The Tangled Lands
A Naked Singularity by Sergio De La Pava
5B Political: Political movements are a major driver of the work. HARD MODE: From the perspective of machinations in the background, outside the typical positions of power or major government.
Suggestion: Jacqueline Carey - Kushiel’s Dart; John Brunner - The Squares of the City
My card: Cassandra Rose Clarke - Our Lady of the Ice
The Feast of the Goat by Mario Vargas Llosa (who passed away a couple of weeks ago)
5A Steppin’ Up!: Challenges can come at you quickly, especially for those least prepared. Whether it’s a major leadership position or suddenly being gifted a baby dragon, life is about to get a whole lot harder and more complicated. HARD MODE: The primary PoV does not assume the throne of a monarchy/empire.
Suggestion: Christopher Paolini - Eragon
My card: Alexandra Bracken - Brightly Woven
