Christian Fiction Bloggers discussion

We're bringing back a classic challenge...but with a twist! ;)



Previously with our Book Bingo challenge, the categories would only be for something found on the cover; this time around, each category will have a number attached to it (read below to find out why).

You will now have three options for completing the categories that are called:

1: read a book that fits the category (i.e. "flower" is called, then a flower must be on the cover or in the title)
2: there will be a number attached to the category called, for this option read a book that is that number in its series (i.e. "flower" is called, the number 2 is attached to that category, so you can read the second book in a series)
3: this last option is to read a book whose title begins with the first letter of the number. (i.e. "flower" is called, the number 2 is attached to that cateogory, so you can read a book starting with the letter "T" (for "two"/2)

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Sign-ups close: March 7, 2018
Challenge begins: March 8, 2018
Ends: when the first team calls a valid bingo

How-To Play
Each team will get a card with the same 24 cover categories, but each will be randomized differently.

Every Thursday one of the categories will be called (the same one for all teams). You then have to find a book that matches it. Once you've read it, write a review letting us know what you thought (a few lines is fine) and then post it in your team's review thread. After all team members have read their books, your square will get a stamp.

***There is no deadline to finish a book for a called category, however in order for a book to count you must have had at least 100 pages left of the book to read in order for said book to work for the category called.

**Because of MIA players in the past, with this challenge you must comment in your team's thread within a week of a new category getting called (unless it is a planned absence). Failure to do so twice in a row will result in your removal from the team."

Book Rules:

• Books must be at least 100 pages.
• Cookbooks, Picture books, Manga, Graphic Novels, Poetry books are not allowed for this challenge. Aside from that, any books over 100 pages count for the challenge.

WAYS TO WIN:


Five in a row (any direction), the four corners, or a postage stamp in any corner would all be a valid bingo. Here's a picture that shows what each of them are:



I know this picture shows two postage stamps, but only one would be required for that type of bingo.

Categories:

1. Flower (2)
2. Tree (4)
3. Horse (Standalone)
4. Shoes/Boots (3)
5. House (4)
6. Dog/Cat (1)
7. Bird (3)
8. Staircase (Standalone)
9. Man and woman (1)
10. Book or letter (2)
11. Vehicle (3)
12. Child/Baby (4)
13. Lighthouse (1)
14. Train/Railroad Tracks (2)
15. Parasol/Umbrella (Standalone)
16. Furniture (Table, Chair, Cabinet, etc.) (2)
17. Fence (3)
18. Hat (worn or otherwise) (4)
19. Eyeglasses (1)
20. Key (2)
21. Road (3)
22. Mountain/Hill (1)
23. River/Lake/Ocean (4)
24. Heart (Standalone)
Free Space (any book)*

*The free space is not called. The team can finish it whenever they like. Any book over 100 pages that is not a cookbook, picture book, manga/graphic novel, or poetry book will work. It just needs to be started and finished after the challenge begins.

--IMPORTANT--

In case there is ever a time during this challenge where you fall sick or are out of town and feel like you cannot participate for a certain category that gets called, each person will get (1) one "freebie". This means that if you post in your team's review thread and say you want to use your freebie for "blank category" you will be marked complete for that category. Each person only has one of these and it cannot be used for a category that would complete a winning bingo for your team.

*

Participants:


-Bess
-Brittany
-Hannah
-Dawn
-Sarah Grace
-Dizzy
-Sarita
-Andrea
-Kellyn
-Karis
-Tiffany
-Kimberly
-Megan

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Backup players:

-Sue
-Hanna
-Monique

Me! Thanks, Mel!!

I'm in!

I'm in!
4-5 books a week except for April.

I'm in. I read about one book a week. I will be out of the country though from April 7 to 12 and will not be able to get online.

Ooh, this looks fun! I'm in! :)

I'm in!! :)

I’m in

Oh, you know I can't resist. This first month might be crazy-busy for me, but I'll get my book-a-week in.

I'm in. 4-6 books per month for me.

I'm in! Although I may go a little crazy. But that's okay; I was crazy to begin with and it's too fun to miss. ;)

In that same boat, Kellyn, for sure. :)

Questions for Melanie:

Will every team member have to read and review a book that fullfills a called category in order for the category's bingo square to get stamped?

What are the rules for categories that have "Standalone" in place of a number? Do these books need to not belong to a series, and is there an option for these book titles to start with an "S"?

Dawn wrote: "I'm in. I read about one book a week. I will be out of the country though from April 7 to 12 and will not be able to get online."

Just let your team know and I'm sure it won't be a problem. Hope you are going somewhere fun. :)) Thanks for joining!

Monique wrote: "Questions for Melanie:

Will every team member have to read and review a book that fullfills a called category in order for the category's bingo square to get stamped?

Yes. In order for a team to get a stamp, all players must finish and review a book that works for it. The only exception would be if a player decides to use their freebie/pass, in which case that person doesn't have to read a book for the category.

What are the rules for categories that have "Standalone" in place of a number? Do these books need to not belong to a series, and is there an option for these book titles to start with an "S"?

For standalone, if you want to use the second option (view spoiler)[2: there will be a number attached to the category called, for this option read a book that is that number in its series (i.e. "flower" is called, the number 2 is attached to that category, so you can read the second book in a series) (hide spoiler)] then it would have to be a book that is not part of a series. If you want to use the third option (view spoiler)[3: this last option is to read a book whose title begins with the first letter of the number. (i.e. "flower" is called, the number 2 is attached to that cateogory, so you can read a book starting with the letter "T" (for "two"/2) (hide spoiler)] then it would be a book starting with the letter S (for standalone).

Sorry I wasn't more clear on that in the rules. I always miss stuff when getting these challenges ready. O.o

So happy to see so many familiar faces joining the challenge! :)

Melanie, when would the free space book be done? Is that also a called category, or is it one that each team would fit in asap?

Andrea wrote: "Melanie, when would the free space book be done? Is that also a called category, or is it one that each team would fit in asap?"

The free space is not called. The team can finish that one whenever they like. Any book over 100 pages that is not a cookbook, picture book, manga/graphic novel, or poetry book will work. It just needs to be started and finished after the challenge begins. :)) Thanks for asking!

Thanks, Melanie! That will work beautifully.

Andrea wrote: "Thanks, Melanie! That will work beautifully."

:) Also, the free space will be the center spot on all bingo boards.

Do we you have choice of not doing it this time? :)

R.A. wrote: "Do we you have choice of not doing it this time? :)"

Not doing what?

I'm in! I read about an average of ten books a month.

I'm in!

Melanie wrote: "Participants:


-Bess
-Brittany
-Hannah
-Dawn
-Sarah Grace
-Dizzy
-Sarita
-Andrea
-Kellyn
-Karis"

I would love to join in
HUGS

Sorry wrote in the wrong place. Add me in. I read about 1-2 books a week.
HUGS
Kim

Melanie wrote: "R.A. wrote: "Do we you have choice of not doing it this time? :)"

Not doing what?"

The new challenge! :)

R.A. wrote: "Melanie wrote: "R.A. wrote: "Do we you have choice of not doing it this time? :)"

Not doing what?"

The new challenge! :)"

You don't ever have to participate if you don't want to. Definitely not a requirement for the group. ;)

I'm in. :)

Melanie wrote: "R.A. wrote: "Melanie wrote: "R.A. wrote: "Do we you have choice of not doing it this time? :)"

Not doing what?"

The new challenge! :)"

You don't ever have to participate if you don't want to. De..."

Okay, thanks!! :)

If there is a planned absence (vacation, work trip, etc.), may a teammate read two books for the called category to cover, or must the freebie be used? I was thinking it might be helpful to be able to save the freebie for if someone suddenly falls ill or finds themselves in some other emergency situation. If the freebie must be used for the planned absence, that is fine, of course. I'm just making sure I understand how it works. Thanks in advance, Melanie!

I wish I could participate in this challenge, however I cannot due to writing and editing demands, the need to finish reading a few books I've already started, the need to read and review books for NetGalley in a specific order, and a shortage of free time.

This challenge seems like a lot of fun and I hope all who participate in it really enjoy it! :)

question. so say that flower is called but you want to do option 2 or 3, does the book still have to have a flower on the cover?

No, Kimberly. The three options are given so that we may pick one. Say flower is called and I can't find a book with a flower on the cover (or it's way too far down on my reading list). Then I could either read a book that is the second in a series (for example: Shadow of the Storm) OR a book whose title begins with T for TWO (for example: Traces of Guilt).

Andrea wrote: "No, Kimberly. The three options are given so that we may pick one. Say flower is called and I can't find a book with a flower on the cover (or it's way too far down on my reading list). Then I coul..."

Andrea, you answered that question perfectly. Thank you so much! :)

You're welcome, Melanie. I thought I could save you some time, since I actually understood how to answer that one. (I don't always.) :)

Andrea wrote: "If there is a planned absence (vacation, work trip, etc.), may a teammate read two books for the called category to cover, or must the freebie be used? I was thinking it might be helpful to be able..."

I've been thinking about this and I'm going to have to say no. If there is a planned absence, the freebie must be used if the team wants to complete that category at that time...but, since the "rounds" don't have a deadline of when they have to be completed, if someone falls behind they will have the time to catch up once they are back (that is, if someone hasn't called a valid bingo).

Okay, that sounds fair. I had forgotten there's no deadline for each category that's called, so that definitely helps. Thanks for explaining all that, Melanie.

Another quick question: If a category is called and I have already started a book but hadn't gotten very far into it, is it okay to begin it over and reread those beginning pages in order for it to count for the category?

For example: If the first called category is one that works for a standalone book, Daughter of the Ganges by Asha Miro would work for it. I have only read 14 pages of that book and would back up to reread those 14 pages along with the rest of the book for the category (I would do an update for the book on GR, marking it at zero pages and stating that I'm restarting for a challenge). Is that something that would be okay?

Or if I'm halfway through a book, could I simply finish reading it, as long as there are at least 100 pages left to go? I continually have a stack of current reads. :)

Andrea wrote: "Another quick question: If a category is called and I have already started a book but hadn't gotten very far into it, is it okay to begin it over and reread those beginning pages in order for it to..."

That is definitely okay. I'm considering a slight edit now to that rule based on Hannah's comment... will explain in next comment. :)

Thanks, Melanie!

Hannah wrote: "Or if I'm halfway through a book, could I simply finish reading it, as long as there are at least 100 pages left to go? I continually have a stack of current reads. :)"

You know what, I like that! I'm going to edit the rules to state that when a category gets called you must have at least 100 pages of a book left to read in order for said book to work for that category.

Thanks! Sounds good.

Monique wrote: "I wish I could participate in this challenge, however I cannot due to writing and editing demands, the need to finish reading a few books I've already started, the need to read and review books for..."

You'll be missed, Monique! Hope you can join the next one. :))