Book Quest Q&A

[Teddie]

Ashley wrote: "And I HEAR YOU - I'll drop the review part 🤣😂."

LOL

It's a great challenge - pushes everyone, at some point or another, outside their usual reading zone, and you really get to know people on your team (and other teams) through the IBRs. Love it!

[Teddie]

Kat wrote: "Also no eco environmental section lol"

Talk about a month of existential dread...

Many of those books are still echoing.

[Heather]

🌍☠️ That was a tough month!

[Jenny]

Putting in a bid for Space Opera month!!!!

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[Kat]

Jenny wrote: "Putting in a bid for Space Opera month!!!!

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What’s that?

[VASVI]

Guys, are we recommending books to each other?...beacuse id love a good recommendation

[Kat]

VASVI wrote: "Guys, are we recommending books to each other?...beacuse id love a good recommendation"

What kind?

[Sammy]

Jenny wrote: "Putting in a bid for Space Opera month!!!!

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Seconded! 😆

[Teddie]

Sammy wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Putting in a bid for Space Opera month!!!!

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Seconded! 😆

Thirded!

[Bernadette]

Teddie wrote: "Sammy wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Putting in a bid for Space Opera month!!!!

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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

😂

[Teddie]

LOL!

Or maybe one month where all the covers need to have creepy crawlies on it - bats, spiders, snakes, etc.

LOL

[bamaace83]

Bernadette wrote: "Teddie wrote: "Sammy wrote: "Jenny wrote: "Putting in a bid for Space Opera month!!!!

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I'm going to second Bernadette but also counteract with I do love when you hand us two genres like thriller/horror so maybe give the people the space opera but give the rest us of something like a space item on the cover. I'm sure I can find a good moon on a cover. See it's a win for everyone. :)


Oh man those bats. I swear the bats are following me around.

[Kat]

What is space opera? Is it just books about space?

[Sammy]

A space opera is a type of sci-fi. It doesn't focus on the science, but instead is more about relationships between characters. Think soap opera set in space.

[Sammy]

bamaace83 wrote: "I'm going to second Bernadette but also counteract with I do love when you hand us two genres like thriller/horror so maybe give the people the space opera but give the rest us of something like a space item on the cover. I'm sure I can find a good moon on a cover. See it's a win for everyone. :)"

Ah, but the whole point is reading outside your comfort zone, in which case it sounds like space opera is exactly what you need 😆

I personally found the YA and romance months a slog (and combining Sci-fi with eco stuff was mean, lol), but it's all swings and roundabouts 😉

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

Sammy wrote: "Ah, but the whole point is reading outside your comfort zone, in which case it sounds like space opera is exactly what you need 😆
."

Not for 10 books for a month for me though :p

I like the idea of having the challenge be vague to fit all readers if it repeats with the same 10 book requirement myself. Has been fun but some months have been harder where the 10 specific tasks are specific. Looking forward to whatever comes our way 2026.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

Kat wrote: "What is space opera? Is it just books about space?"

I am not that knowledgeable about that sub-genre, but I believe it's space drama in a way :)

[Jenny]

Ashley, perhaps next year you can set up a recommendations thread. I can think of ten space opera books off the top of my head that non-sci-fi readers would likely really enjoy.
If we get a month of historical romance however, I would need some help finding stuff.

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

Jenny wrote: "Ashley, perhaps next year you can set up a recommendations thread. I can think of ten space opera books off the top of my head that non-sci-fi readers would likely really enjoy.
If we get a month ..."

An excellent idea...

[Janeylou]

Our team has also had a great time with this challenge, esp as we mai ly read very similar stuff, so we'd definitely be up for it again

Yesss for no reviews
Nooo for Space Opera
😂😂😂

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

I know some of it is to explore outside usual comfort zone, but some of us do know we are not big fans of certain sub-genres already, even if there are recommendations from some who do enjoy the sub-genre (like Space Opera), so again voting to not make too specific if the number required is 10 books per month as that's quite a bit if it's in a niche area.

Fortunately this year the MPG genre for each month has been pretty broad, but sometimes the tasks are pretty specific like all for environmental science fiction instead of just sci-fi, so that was a rough month for my team.

[Sammy]

Having only genres that everyone likes is impossible though, and you should expect there to be some you're not going to be a fan of. I personally don't like romance (any sub-genre!), or YA. I expect to encounter them in a challenge like this though. Heck, they're in every challenge! But I would also expect to encounter sci-fi (of which space opera is roughly half of them, especially the ones published this century and in particular those written by women! lol)

But yes, with the specificity of the tasks, space opera in particular was not really an option for the sci-fi month this year, as the tasks called for more earth-based hard sci-fi on the whole.

I'd figure the majority of non sci-fi readers would prefer space opera to hard sci-fi, but as I enjoy both, I may have that turned around!

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

Sammy wrote: "Having only genres that everyone likes is impossible though, and you should expect there to be some you're not going to be a fan of. I personally don't like romance (any sub-genre!), or YA. "

It was more an issue when all ten tasks were specified to a sub-genre, not the genre itself as a side bonus. As long as you fit the task, you can just not get the MPG Genre bonus if you choose, but if all the tasks are with a genre people don't enjoy, it gets tricky if the tasks are too specific. Fortunately Ashley does allow flexibility but some team members struggled with ones too specific some month, so my suggestion for next year was to not be too tied in with all ten tasks so all readers can enjoy the challenge and not just select ones if this makes sense.

[bamaace83]

Love the recommendation thread idea! I always love to poll a friend for ideas and suggestions. I've got those little Murderbots hanging out waiting for when/if space opera appears. I think I've made it up to book 6. Gotta save those for special tasks. ;)

[Jenny]

My suggestion would be to stay specific, but get rid of the page number portion of the competition. If it is still to be competitive anyway. Reading a 150 page book in a genre I don't enjoy is much better than reading a 500 pager.

[Kari]

Bookworm Brigade will not continue, we'll stop with October. Thank you Ashley!!

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

Kari, is it your whole team? If you have anyone who wants to continue, I can merge them into other teams who are missing people

[Alyana]

Ashley wrote: "Kari, is it your whole team? If you have anyone who wants to continue, I can merge them into other teams who are missing people"

Hi Ashley, the whole team has decided that October will be our last month.

[Kari]

Alyana wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Kari, is it your whole team? If you have anyone who wants to continue, I can merge them into other teams who are missing people"

Hi Ashley, the whole team has decided that October w..."

We want to stop at 10 months. Thank you so much, it was fun!

[Jessica]

I've really enjoyed this challenge, and unlike what seems to be the majority, my favourite thing is being challenged to read outside of my comfort zone.

I don't like reviewing unless I feel moved to, so I would agree with others in either lowering the word count or removing review points all together, but I would hate for this to become less challenging.

[Anastasia]

Ashley, I have decided to quit this challenge as well. I know that you have put a lot of work into it and I appreciate everything that you do, but this is not one that I enjoy and have struggled with all year. Thank you for everything you have done.

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

Alright Teams, in light of several people leaving the challenge, can I get a headcount (Name and Team, please) of those of you who are missing teammates that would like to continue on, so that I can merge some Teams together for the last 2 months of the challenge?

[Benedicte, Bookmark First, Ask Later]

Prose Pursuers
Current members: Elli, Catsalive, Carrie, Benedicte

Has lost 1 member (Prinzess)

[Julia]

Hi Ashley, Team Novel Navigators has seen your message - we're just waiting to hear back from one of our members and will then get back to you with a headcount.

[Kat]

I am asking my team Narrative Nomads and will get back to you. I think we are just missing Sharon based on October books still been entered for other people

[Shaw]

Team Fable Finders:
Current Members:

Jill, Shaw, Bubbles, Ruth and Catherine

We should all be participating and accounted for as of October

[Trisha]

Team Chapter Champions

and we, the whole team, are going strong and missing none!

[Jenny]

Page Pioneers are all in!

[Amanda]

Quill Questers are all in and we all love this challenge!

[Julia]

Team Novel Navigators is looking forward to the last two months and will continue as a five-person team (everyone is still here and playing). Team members are Char, Claire, C, Eunice, and Julia.

[Shaw]

Can we switch our one book per month recommendation if there is one that fits the tasks better?

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

Shaw wrote: "Can we switch our one book per month recommendation if there is one that fits the tasks better?"

Yes, as long as no one has read it for points yet!

[Shaw]

Ok- thanks!

[Ruth]

Hi Ashley… The Fable Finders SS has a #REF! error on the October and Team Dashboard worksheets. Can you help us clear that, please?

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

yes! I will look tomorrow!