Historical Fictionistas discussion
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Summer 2025 TBR Challenge Rules/Questions
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Thanks, Jasmine! No worries on posting late...life is complicated :)
So awesome!! Love this challenge. Thanks, Jasmine!!
Thank you, thank you!!! I had a list put together and was going to read them anyway but this makes it perfect.
JUST FYI. I did not receive a message about the summer challenge. I saw Peggy's reply on my notifications list, so I went to the group site to see what's up with the challenge. So if I didn't get it, maybe many others in the group didn't either & that is why so few people have responded thus far. Anyway, happy to see it up, it always motivates me to make a dent in my physical piles of books even if I only read half or less of what I list in the challenge. :)
Chris wrote: "JUST FYI. I did not receive a message about the summer challenge. I saw Peggy's reply on my notifications list, so I went to the group site to see what's up with the challenge. So if I didn't get i..."Chris; Glad you saw my post. Good luck! My first read will be A Game of Thrones. At over 800 pages I may only get to a few other titles on my challenge book list!
Mod
How do we rearrange our book list? I do not see how I can move the titles around. Do I need to be on my computer rather than app to do this?
Mod
It is easier to do it on a computer rather than the app. You should be able to edit your original post to then move around your list. Some people who use the app will just make a comment such as:
"Moving The Other Boleyn Girl to spot #12. Putting The Wild Robot in spot #36."
So we have until June 15 to submit our reading lists if we would like to participate?
Mod
If you want to start on June 15th, yes. You can also wait to start on July 15th and then you start with a list of 25.
Hi, will there be a separate reporting thread?
Where do we sign up? I probably missed an obvious link or something?
Mod
Yes! I post that thread closer to the start date just so people don't attempt to report prior to the official start date.
Mod
Here is the link for the book lists:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
I'll add it in the initial post to for others. Thanks for pointing that out.
Mod
So just to confirm- we can comment our book list in that thread up until June 15th to be signed up and we can decide to do however long a list as we want from the start too? So, say I post tomorrow with only 20 books because I’ve slowed down a lot but I want to start still in June, I can do that and be on the up & up?
Mod
Yes....however if you only post 20 books you only have 20 books to play with/move around. Even if you're reading has slowed down it's still good to put a list together of 50 books so you have more room to move books around, especially because you can only sub five books, but you can move books around as much as you want on the 15th of each month.
One more question (this is my first year doing this)! We list the books descending order 50 to 1. In what order do we read them? Also descending 50 to 1 or ascending 1 to 50? Or is it spontaneous- can we read, say, #50, #42, #3, #27 etc ?
Hi Sarah, you can read them in any order you want :)
Mod
Erica is right - you can read in any order. The numerical values are just for scoring, so you can strategize your list to score the ones you’re more likely to read higher and bank a higher score.
The mod TBR bonus reads can be tackled at any point after you’ve read 5 from your own list, but are limited to 1 per month. But that’s the only “order” requirement for the challenge.
I understand the system to gain points. But what do we do with the points?
How do o edit or add to my list? I held my spot with a short list because I cannot type all the information on my phone. Now I'd like to add books to my list. (It's not June 15th yet.). Or do I just post a new comment with all 50 books on it?
Mod
Congratulate yourself on earning them by reading down your TBR! :D
Mod
I don't think you can edit your post via the mobile app. You'll need to do that from a computer. If you want to add a new post with your list instead, please delete the previous one (or ask a mod to delete it).
Is there a posting thread for the 2025 summer challenge?
Mod
There will be. I'm waiting until the 15th to post it.
Mod
Where do we post after we’re done reading a book, on the same thread as our list?
Will the booklists be unlocked soon for the "end of month" shuffle (taking into account we started a bit later than usual this year?
Mod
All good, I was just worried I'd miss the opportunity :)
Mod
I just finished a nonfiction primarily set in summer but I was thinking that the summer bonus points are just applied to fiction. Is that correct?
Mod
Jasmine wrote: "Summer bonuses can be applied to any books. It is just the HF bonus that can only be applied to fiction."Thanks, will edit my post accordingly.
Jasmine, are you opening up the book lists today for changes?
Jasmine, I have a few changes to make as well when the lists are open. Thank you so much.
Mod
Mod
Mod
Jasmine; I just finished The Mine which is time travel/historical fiction. 215 pages out of 290 pages is set in 1940's. Since this is over 50% I wondered if I can claim the HF 5 points? Not sure since this is time travel. No hurry on reply.
Mod
Becky, Thanks for the speedy reply!
Historical Fictionistas
Books mentioned in this topic
The Mine (other topics)A Game of Thrones (other topics)
Another year, another TBR challenge. I'm editing this from previous years so please forgive me if I miss a date update. This challenge requires some preplanning so you will have a couple weeks to work on your lists.
Pre-planning is required for this challenge!!
This will be a 3 month challenge, but you will only be able to join at the 1st of each month. This challenge will run June 15th-September 15th.
Sign-ups Participants MUST sign up and provide a list of books prior to starting the challenge. The number of books is determined by the start date:
Starting on June 15: 50 books
Starting on July 15: 25 books
Starting on Aug 15: 15 books
There will be TWO opportunities to re-arrange your unread book list on July 15th and Aug 15th. Aside from this date, the order of the book cannot be changed. Choose wisely! ;) You will also be allowed to add up to 5 new books at each "re-arrange" time.
IMPORTANT: If the thread is locked, you should NOT edit your list.
NOTE: This is a personal challenge and meant to be a fun way to motivate you to read books that you've been thinking about for a while. However, you decide the parameters of how you want to make your list, like only reading books that you own or reading books on your "wish list". The only real requirement is to read from a pre-determined list.
RULES:
1) Books must be at least 200 pages long. Eligibility for this is determined by the most popular edition on Goodreads. If the most popular edition is 197 pages, it will not count, even if the edition read is 215 pages.
2) The first book used for the challenge should be started on or after June 1st. Exception: Each person will be allowed 1 exception for a book that is longer than 500 pages, as long as they are not more than 1/2 way through the book on June 1st. You must be using the "progress update" feature of GoodReads to claim this.
3) Audiobooks are accepted. Page numbers are determined by most popular edition on GoodReads.
4) Re-reads are NOT permitted for this challenge. (sorry, one objective is to read down your TBR).
5) There is no genre requirement for this challenge, but there is a Bonus tasks for reading HF.
6) You may always use these books for other challenges in the group as well.
SCORING / HOW IT WORKS:
1) At time of sign-up, each participant will select the books from their 'To-Read' list on Goodreads. Any variation of a To-Read shelf will count, including Wishlist. Example, I have a shelf called Nonfiction which are nonfiction books I haven't read yet but want to.
Books will be ordered from 50-1 (if you are not doing the 3 months, adjust when starting later), and their placement will determine their point value. Examples: A book in the #1 place will receive 1 point when done, a book in the #25 spot will receive 25 points, etc.
Tip: Order books that you are most likely to read in the higher value spots to earn higher scores. :)
NOTE: If you are a slow reader, and don't want to list 50 books, you can have a shorter list. However, if you start with 20 books, you can only play with 20 books for the whole challenge (Also, you will want to still start your list at spot 50 if you are playing for points)
2) Bonus Tasks for 50 points each: After you have read at least 5 books on your list, once a month, you can read a book from one of the mods TBR lists. Each month you need to pick a different mod, so if you chose to read one each month, you will have read one from each of the mods.
Choose a book from one of the moderators TBR lists ( Becky, JoLene, Gretchen, or Jasmine) that you have not read, and read it.
Becky's TBR
JoLene’s TBR
Gretchen’s TBR
Jasmine’s TBR
**Note: Most of the moderators have multiple TBR lists. However, I have only included one for each mod on this list, but you can read a book from any of their TBR lists so long as it is labeled some form of "want to read" or "to be read".
**Bonus book choices do not need to be chosen ahead of time and these can be changed at any time. ONLY the list of books from your own To-Read list need to be selected by the deadlines. **
***You may not give yourself a shelf score for a bonus book even if it is on your own TBR shelf.***
3) Summer theme bonuses: You can claim 5 point bonus for each of the following. You can only claim each bonus once during the challenge. Only one summer bonus can be claimed per book.
a. Read a book set in summer.
b. Read a book where the main character takes a trip.
c. Read a book with a summer scene on the cover.
d. Read a book set in a different country than where you live.
e. Read a book where one of the author's initials is in the word SUMMER.
f. Read a book that is set at the beach, on a boat, or on an island.
4) There are several opportunities to earn Bonus Points. Bonus points will be awarded PER BOOK READ when task points are awarded. Partial task points and/or bonus points (page count, HF point, etc) will NOT be awarded if the task is unfinished. Bonus points can only be claimed when reporting the book score (so make sure to check your postings).
4a) Book Length Bonus:
Bonus points will be awarded based on the length of each book read, as follows:
200 to 300 pages = 2 bonus points
301 to 500 pages = 4 bonus points
501 to 750 pages = 6 bonus points
751 to 1,000 pages = 8 bonus points
1,000+ = 10 bonus points
4b) Historical Fiction Bonus = 5 point
WE WILL NOT AWARD HF POINTS IF IT IS NOT REPORTED.
The definition of historical fiction that our group uses is a work published at least 50 years after at least half of the events in the work. Historical fantasy, alternate history and magical realism books are not considered historical fiction for the challenge.
If the book has a dual story-line than 50% of the action needs to take place in the historical setting.
4c) You can claim 2 points for each year that the book has been on your TBR. You should use the "Date Added" field on your bookshelf and you may need to add the field to your bookshelf view. The bonus is as follows, if the "Date Added" is before:
June 1, 2024: 2 points
June 1, 2023: 4 points
June 1, 2022: 6 points
June 1, 2021: 8 points
June 1, 2020: 10 points
June 1, 2019 and beyond: 15 points
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Here's an example of how it will look when reported:
The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
#15 spot - 15 points
664 pages - 6 points
HF - 5 point
Date added: Jan 1, 2015: 15 pts
Total - 41 points
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Hope that you are able to climb your TBR pile!!
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