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…
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.
Why don’t I own more books?!
Because you haven’t fully embraced your book-dragonhood? Build that hoard! :)
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
2D Short and Sweet: Read a individual piece of work under 170 pages or 40,000 words. HARD MODE: Read a collection of this type of short work.
1066 and All That: A Memorable History of England, Comprising All the Parts You Can Remember, Including 103 Good Things, 5 Bad Kings and 2 Genuine Dates – Sellar, Yeatman, and Reynolds.
Worth all of its 116 pages. (Also valid for 1A, but I have other plans for that square.)
Suggestion: any anthology, especially any edited by Ellen Datlow (books span multiple genres)
My card: Ellen Datlow, ed. - Mad Hatters and March Hares
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.
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.
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
4D Award Winner: Has won a notable and widely regarded literature award. HARD MODE: More than one award.
Suggestion: Larry Niven - Ringworld
My card: China Mieville - The City & the City
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
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.
A Naked Singularity by Sergio De La Pava
Suggestion: John Wiswell - Someone You Can Build a Nest In
My card: Paolo Bacigalupi, Tobias S. Buckell - The Tangled Lands
2C Orange Crush: The title, a prominent element of the cover, or the narrative involves some form of orange (color, word, or fruit). HARD MODE: The work you chose uses multiple types of orange features.
The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz
I looked at this book before, what did you think of it? My brother in law makes wine, and I’ve considered doing it, but I’m more interested in fermentation for foods.
I’m not an expert but I think it’s a very good book for fermentation. It has a lot of information and knowledge.
I would not have considered fermenting acorns. Time to run out and buy a new book…
I’m glad I could help!
Suggestion: Samantha Shannon - The Priory of the Orange Tree; Anthony Burgess - A Clockwork Orange
My card: Jostein Gaarder - The Orange Girl
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.
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.
Suggestion: Richard Adams - Watership Down; Richard Adams - The Plague Dogs; Kenneth Grahame - The Wind in the Willows
My card: Richard Adams - Shardik
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
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
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
5C Late to the Party: Apparently this is a really popular work, you just haven’t gotten around to it yet. Read a book that you have seen recommended over and over. HARD MODE: Not Harry Potter.
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
My card: Robert Jordan - The Eye of the World
