Play Book Tag discussion

How to vote and links to descriptions for each challenge are contained within the poll.

Deadline: 12 noon EST on November 27th

NOTE: As of November 12, we haven't received any further votes. The results look pretty definitive. I may close voting early to announce before the holiday.

https://forms.gle/evBNpMjSTGTQ9AVc9

Please don't hesitate to reach out with questions if you don't understand the instructions!

I voted. Anita - one of your instruction sentences on the ballot is an incomplete sentence. You might want to fix it.

Theresa wrote: "I voted. Anita - one of your instruction sentences on the ballot is an incomplete sentence. You might want to fix it."

Thanks for the heads up! I'll check it out.

For once this was an easy choice for me on how to spend my votes.

I voted too. We shall see what happens next.

I had obvious favorites too.

Voted

Voted

Voted

Creative games! I had definite favorites and voted accordingly

Thanks everyone for voting!!

I'm very much in "binge watch as much television as humanly possible mode" so I can't commit to anything, thus not voting.
But what INCREDIBLY creative ideas. As a Swiftie it's hard not to throw all the points at the Eras idea :) Congrats as always.

Nicole D. wrote: "I'm very much in "binge watch as much television as humanly possible mode" so I can't commit to anything, thus not voting.
But what INCREDIBLY creative ideas. As a Swiftie it's hard not to throw a..."

Lol, enjoy the binge watching! There's a lot of great shows on right now. By any chance do you watch The Diplomat? In addition to that, I literally watch every series Taylor Sheridan creates, and it's becoming a problem because he is so prolific. At any rate, thank you for the kind words!!

If you have not yet voted and wish to, you may want to get to it soon. The results are so definitive that I'm thinking of announcing early.

There hasn't been a new vote in over a week.

I am not seeing a lot of reason to continue to wait.

Yesss! We're all impatient! If there are clear winners, they probably won't change.

That is great to know Anita! I am anxious to see what won.

Robin P wrote: "Yesss! We're all impatient! If there are clear winners, they probably won't change."

It would take a miracle for BooknBlues' winner to change.

Mine is highly highly unlikely to change.

I'm conferring with BnB, but I would like to announce on Sunday.

Voted

So excited to see what wins and it sounds like unless a stampede that votes a different way suddenly appears, you should announce on Sunday.

That way we all have an extra week to ooh and aah and start thinking about them. Oh and those who plan -- not me - can start their planning!

Besides, the mounts in Steeplechase plus Gnarly and the Cabana Boys are very anxious to know if there are jobs for them next year.

Just put out a planning preview for Trim 2025. I know there are some folks who will be eager to jump on whatever they can. I always feel, let the conversations about the challenges be the priority and this can be the "soon after-thought"

Where does Gnarly and the Cabana Boys go for the Holidays in between the challenges? Back to the Subdue Train? On Vacation? Staying at the Track?

I like the compass, but I can’t decide among the others. Some sleep would help, but in the meantime I’m open to some suggestions.

In 2025 I’m looking to read fewer but better books. I want interesting new topics, msybe awards lists, international, with some science and environmental books. I’m also doing ATY. I need games with flexibility, simple rules, low competition, low documentation, low stress. Suggestions?

I think the ToB list just came out

Amy wrote: "Where does Gnarly and the Cabana Boys go for the Holidays in between the challenges? Back to the Subdue Train? On Vacation? Staying at the Track?"

Where you probably would find Cabana Boys-on an Island in the sun, with other Cabana Boys waiting on them!

I just hope that at least one of the stampedes matches the way I voted :)

Nancy, I’m exactly the same as you. Fewer books. And slower reading, interspersed with light fun, would be perfect.

There’s the monthly tag itself of course, and if we aren’t thinking about number of existing tags (which is something I personally want to limit a bit next year), that gives a lot more flexibility.

All the game options look excellent and they are super-inventive. I think most of them could be as flexible as you choose to make them. For instance you could stop at one list for Play Harder (and see whether you can overlap some with ATY). You don’t have to ask for more.

I’ve chosen to play only one challenge (so I didn’t vote on the other grouping, much as I appreciate any of them would be fun).

KateNZ wrote: "Nancy, I’m exactly the same as you. Fewer books. And slower reading, interspersed with light fun, would be perfect.

There’s the monthly tag itself of course, and if we aren’t thinking about numbe..."

Thanks Kate, that helps a lot. I like that we can all submit new ideas throughout the year too. I would likely add my favorite ATY prompt - a book that was long listed for the Tournament of Books (in any year).

Amy wrote: "Where does Gnarly and the Cabana Boys go for the Holidays in between the challenges? Back to the Subdue Train? On Vacation? Staying at the Track?"

Ah, The Racht Family Farm has been made available to them. They have earned a vacation and hopefully Ennaoj's foot will have a chance to finish healing. I've roped Tom and Steve into setting things up there and twisted there respective arms to provide all possible supplies needed.

Joy's Magical Trunk will have a fresh supply of games, plus equipment needed to frolic in snow, assuming there is any. There are acres for them to romp in without disturbing anyone.

Personally I want easy tracking and only personal tracking, a set number of books to read every month, and something that lets me read around my favorites as well as some fat books. My reading time next year, especially the first half, is going to be more limited due to work pressures, Too many favorite authors and fat books I really want to delve into have been sidelined as I kept up on challenges.

So I really want a quieter challenge or two next year.

I of course encourage doing the Eras one as it was an idea I voiced to Anita and worked with her on it - though she made it far more wonderful than I ever could!

NancyJ wrote: "I like the compass, but I can’t decide among the others. Some sleep would help, but in the meantime I’m open to some suggestions.

In 2025 I’m looking to read fewer but better books. I want inter..."

I'm looking to accepting I won't meet my target this year and setting a smaller target but getting to read some of the stonkers I have been meaning to read for years. Next year will be about quality only and getting my joy in reading back.

I love that there are lots of sentiments toward reading "quality". I feel like my year could have been better in this regard even though I TRIED.

It's a bit frustrating.

Here's to a quality 2025!!

Yes, I am thinking about a resolution to read at least one long book - over 450 or over 500 pages - each month. I own enough of them that I keep putting off.

I am a big sucker for challenges like Subdue and Steeplechase. I love the fun of not knowing what my next read will be until the moderator gives me the number from a roll or spin.

I'm not looking for that type of challenge next year. I'm exhausted from the sheer number of below average reads I had this year. Most of my books were a 3 Star average and totally forgetable. I want to focus on books that I really want to read next year.

I do multiple challenges across other platforms and I feel like the best yearly challenges are on PBT. I anxiously await the results!

I actually don't feel that the quality of my reading has slipped, and it showed in my slow progress initially in Steeplechase particularly. I have at this point an average 3.7 star rating on the books read. BUT I definitely want to boost the length of the books read as PBT challenges in particular have me steering to 350 pages or less.

But what affects my reading mostly is how work has eaten away at available reading time which of course is then affected by challenges, especially PBT challenges.

Haha. This is like a repeat of what we all said 4 years ago after Poll Ballot. If we’re going to have a really big year once in a while, it’s nice to have it when we need a big distraction from politics. Now, it’s (almost) vacation time.

Theresa wrote: "I actually don't feel that the quality of my reading has slipped, and it showed in my slow progress initially in Steeplechase particularly. I have at this point an average 3.7 star rating on the bo..."

Darn work, getting in the way of our reading! I LOVE retirement.

I've been interested in all of your comments about how most of you want to slow down, relax more and read fewer books. You'd like to enjoy the books that you are reading more and feel less pressure. You're looking for challenges that will embrace this.

As someone who has not done the challenges this year, I have felt less pressure and more relaxed. However, despite trying to choose my books with care, this has only been a so-so reading year for me. With some exceptions, the books have felt lack-luster compared to books I've read in past years.

I'm hoping that some mellow challenges will be voted in. It seems that most of us want this.

One of the things I do like about the challenges as a general rule is they push me to reach deep into my TBR Towers to read books that have been aging there for years, often real treasures that I kick myself for having waited so long to read it. One of those in 2023 was The Casual Vacancy, this year it included catching up on series too long neglected and Stoner.. Since I am able to reign in my competitiveness, because I know I have limited reading time available, I don't try for volume and speed as a general rule. I take time to read the slower books. This year I added a lot of NF to the challenge mix of reading, always slower reads for me.

The challenges have also introduced me to so many great books and genres that I might never have discovered otherwise.

But ... I too want a more leisurely pace. One of the things I really saw this year due mostly to BWF was that I read far fewer reviews and commented on them, or joining discussions. Being a team reporter really had me mostly reading my team members' reviews because I saw and opened every single one. When I'd open the home page on a Sunday afternoon, there would be so many new posts as everyone caught up on the challenge reviews, it was too overwhelming, especially as I was usually updating team tracking at that time. As a result, I'd really like to see far less review posts in 2025, so I can savor them. I'm sure LibraryCin would like to see fewer too!

Lastly -- and I didn't mean to ramble on so when I started -- I found the mini-challenges were suffering a bit unless they tied into one of the year long challenges. My Flurries reading and Christmas in July reading is way way down. I haven't even had a chance to contribute much to Fall Into Smut. I'm behind on Unofficial Trim and a couple other non-PBT challenges. That's unusual for me.

Theresa wrote: "One of the things I do like about the challenges as a general rule is they push me to reach deep into my TBR Towers to read books that have been aging there for years, often real treasures that I k..."

I’m finding the same thing with flurries. I love flurries but I only read a few of them this year. I have more nonfiction books (for Nonfiction November) that match the letters, but the last one took me forever.

Robin P wrote: "Yes, I am thinking about a resolution to read at least one long book - over 450 or over 500 pages - each month. I own enough of them that I keep putting off."

I will join you once a quarter if you go this route! I agree that I'd like to delve into some longer books this year. Or some trilogies that I've been sitting on.

I am in, too, on the once a quarter lengthy book!

There is an old 'Big Book' Buddy read thread out there - it was basically people reading the book they wanted but a fat busty book. I can exhume it. I have several books - fiction and nonfiction - staring at me accusingly from one of the TBR Towers under the TV. I could absolutely join a time or two.

After the 2025 challenges are announced -- and outside challenges announced - Popsugar will be released December 2nd, ATY is already up - I will resurrect it, give it a snazzier title perhaps and everyone can start talking about what busty book they are planning for the first quarter, or even not until 2nd.

Full disclosure, I already have a 650+ page book on deck for January - Feminerdy Book Club is reading and discussing in January the last in the trilogy by M. A. Carrick - Labyrinth's Heart. I'm planning to immerse myself in it over Christmas as I'm not traveling, not planning to have any guests, and am embracing a quiet very personal holiday, doing things around the city that have not factored in my holiday in the last couple of years due to these crazy cases I'm overseeing. Definitely includes some meals with friends, maybe finally getting to The Ripped Bodice in Brooklyn, museum exhibits, holiday concerts and opera, maybe even something very touristy like The Rockettes. Last saw their show at least 10 years ago.

I love a a big busty book-read a lot of them, so I am sure I will be able to find one and join up

I have so many busty book languishing on my Kindle. I would love some group motivation! Quarterly sounds very reasonable. I would be in!

If I don't manage monthly, quarterly is a good idea too!

Theresa wrote: "As a result, I'd really like to see far less review posts in 2025, so I can savor them. I'm sure LibraryCin would like to see fewer too!..."

I will definitely look forward to that! LOL!

I have gotten a bit behind on the shelving, but hope to do some tomorrow.

Wait, so you want us to review less? I can do that. PBT is the only place I regularly post reviews. Although I assign stars to books after reading them, I have never done general reviews on GR. There are already so many of them and I'm not interested in conversing that way with random GR members. Some of us like BC are conscientious and copy the PBT reviews to Around the Year, Retro Chapter Chicks, and other groups, but I rarely do that. I feel like I already spend too much time documenting, for instance 3 places for BWF.

It makes sense that many people use the reviews as a personal history and to remember things about the book, but I'm always impatient to get on to the next book. If I forget the details of a book, fine, I can read it again and it will seem new!

We get participation points for posting but many of us have so many points that we really don't need more.

Robin P wrote: "Wait, so you want us to review less? I can do that. PBT is the only place I regularly post reviews. Although I assign stars to books after reading them, I have never done general reviews on GR. The..."

I was merely suggesting back to normal levels. Not twice or 3x the levels.

Discussing books read in some detail is something I do IRL with friends, family and colleagues, and writing reviews on a couple of social media platforms seen by virtual friends has become an extension of that plus a welcome non-work related bit of writing.

I also know many don't really like writing reviews, the same way I shudder at keeping a spreadsheet.

To each her/his own.

It's true I've been posting EVERYTHING this year, which I don't usually do. Some things I read are too obscure, used for my historical talks, or just escape, like a 130-page Regency romance. I felt I needed to post them all if they fit a BWF letter, but now I won't need to.

This year I did both BWF and Steeplechase. Doing both challenges was a lot and I plan to only do one challenge next year. I read many books this year that I wouldn't have if it wasn't for the challenges. Some books were amazing, some were disappointments, and I definitely wrote more reviews than I usually do. I listened to many more audio books than I ever have before too, turns out I enjoy audio books more than I thought I would. So overall I would say that doing both challenges was good for me, but like so many others, I didn't get to several of the books I have on my TBR because the letters didn't match up for BWF.

I would be interested in the big book quarterly read. I have several 500+ page books on my physical bookshelf that I would love the encouragement to read.