Book Quest Q&A

[Jessica]

Just want to check if a trans author fits for the diversity bonus?

[Sammy]

Jessica wrote: "Just want to check if a trans author fits for the diversity bonus?"

Yes, any Queer author works

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

Jessica wrote: "Just want to check if a trans author fits for the diversity bonus?"

Yes, of course!

[Skye Blue ☆*~ﾟლ(´ڡ`ლ)~*☆]

Does New Adult count for YA?
I tknow there is a difference, but not quite sure what exactly differentiates it other that maybe steam level?

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

Not for this. If a book has both listed as MPGs, it's acceptable though.

[Janeylou]

The Raven Prince has no MPGs but does say its YA at bottom of blurb as it does on amazon , can i still use for MPG YA 🙏

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

Janeylou wrote: "The Raven Prince has no MPGs but does say its YA at bottom of blurb as it does on amazon , can i still use for MPG YA 🙏"

Yes!

[Janeylou]

Thank you 😊😚

[Jill]

Am I correct in understanding that memoirs/biographies can't be used to claim genre swap points?

And for Reader's choice where would you post?

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

Jill wrote: "Am I correct in understanding that memoirs/biographies can't be used to claim genre swap points?

And for Reader's choice where would you post?"

You are correct, and you can add it to a note on the spreadsheet (right click on the cell), or even in your justification

[Sammy]

Can't believe I haven't asked this yet and apologies if someone else has (I checked, but didn't see it)...

If we're re-reading a book and have already reviewed that book previously, can we use that review, or do we have to write an additional one for that book?

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

Sammy wrote: "Can't believe I haven't asked this yet and apologies if someone else has (I checked, but didn't see it)...

If we're re-reading a book and have already reviewed that book previously, can we use tha..."

You can use it, as long as you add a little 1 sentence "update".

[Sammy]

Awesome, thanks. I've got 3 re-reads coming up, and two of them already have reviews!

[Vicki]

For • Read a book with a character living a double life. Do they need to be something like a spy or can it be more of leading an emotional of personal double life. Example: character is portraying herself to be upbeat to the world but she's really hiding deep personal pain and a difficult past.

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

Absolutely! The prompt "Read a book with a character living a double life" is wonderfully flexible! It doesn’t have to mean spies or secret agents (though those are fun too!). A double life can be emotional, psychological, or social, where a character hides their true self behind a carefully constructed facade.

Here are some ideas:

• A character who presents a polished, happy persona to the world but hides deep trauma, grief, or mental health struggles.
• Someone who lives two distinct lives due to societal pressure, like a closeted LGBTQ+ character or a person hiding their cultural/religious identity.
• A character who fabricates an entirely different life (online, in a new city, etc.) to escape their past.
• A professional who appears ruthless and ambitious at work but is vulnerable and insecure in private.
• A character hiding a paranormal or magical identity while pretending to be ordinary.

The core of a "double life" is deception, secrecy, or compartmentalization, whether for survival, self-protection, or something darker. Emotional double lives can be just as gripping (if not more so) than spy thrillers!

[Vicki]

Fantastic and clear description! Thanks so much, Ashley! :)

[Sammy]

• A character hiding a paranormal or magical identity while pretending to be ordinary.

We're doing literally the opposite. (A character is meant to have magical ability, but it's gone and they pretend otherwise) 😁

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

love it!!

[Jill]

There's something wrong with the selection cells in the Fable Finders SS.

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

Jill wrote: "There's something wrong with the selection cells in the Fable Finders SS."

Fixed!

[Jill]

Ashley wrote: "Jill wrote: "There's something wrong with the selection cells in the Fable Finders SS."

Fixed!"

Thanks!

[Jill]

Ashley wrote: "Jill wrote: "There's something wrong with the selection cells in the Fable Finders SS."

Fixed!"

Actually, the bonuses are still saying True/False

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

Fixed (all the way?)

[Jill]

Ashley wrote: "Fixed (all the way?)"

Gracias

[Trisha]

For Diversity reads - would an LGBTQ+ themed book qualify? Or someone with a disability (partial deafness)?

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

yes, both

[Trisha]

Thank you!

[Ruth]

Shandrea informed Fable Finders that she’s withdrawing from the challenge. If the remaining four team members complete a team read book in June, will this count as a team read? Thank you!

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

yes!

[Ruth]

Thank you, Ashley. Is there a chance we might be able to find a replacement for Shandrea, or is this too late in the year to call out for new sign ups?

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

Ruth wrote: "Thank you, Ashley. Is there a chance we might be able to find a replacement for Shandrea, or is this too late in the year to call out for new sign ups?"

I'm trying! I have a couple of teams that need players, but I don't have any backups at the moment. If you have someone you think might want to participate, have them sign up!

As far as books, those of you who are missing members will get mod books to fill in the gaps until they are filled.

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

📚 July Book Quest Challenge: Community & Belonging

Dear Book Quest Adventurers,

I know this challenge has asked a lot of you over the months: keeping up with tasks, coordinating with teammates, pushing through reading slumps. But here’s what makes it all worthwhile: stories connect us. Even when we read alone, we’re part of something bigger—a community of readers who understand the magic of getting lost in a book and found in its pages.

This July, as we explore Community and Belonging, we have a special opportunity to bring that theme to life in our own bookish family. The Book Bridge Collaboration Bonus isn’t just another task to check off; it’s a chance to experience firsthand what our favorite books so often show us: that connection transforms us.

When your team pairs up with another, you’ll do more than just share a book. You’ll:

👀 See a story through someone else’s eyes, discovering layers you might have missed on your own.
🤝 Strengthen the ties that have been growing between us all year, turning fellow readers into friends.
📖 Create the kind of real-world belonging that mirrors the very books we’re reading about, whether it’s a found family, an unexpected friendship, or a community rebuilding together.

I hope you’ll embrace this experiment with the same spirit that’s carried us through six months of reading adventures. Let’s make July the month we don’t just read about connection—we live it, one shared story at a time.

And now, enough with the sappy… and onto the fun part (the tasks!) (and the bonus points!)

📅 July’s Theme: Community and Belonging
July’s Bonus Genre: Historical Fiction

📝 July’s Tasks:
Read a book that features a close-knit community.
Read a book about immigrants finding community in a new land.
Read a book about intergenerational relationships.
Read a book about a social movement.
Read a book that showcases friendships across different backgrounds.
Read a book set in a rural community.
Read a book where a character rebuilds their life after loss/displacement.
Read a book that addresses themes of exclusion.
Read a book featuring a cultural or artistic community.
Read a book that highlights diverse voices.

These tasks celebrate how stories connect us—perfect for our ….

🌟 BOOK BRIDGE COLLABORATION BONUS 🌟

At the heart of our Book Quest Adventure is a simple truth: stories connect us. They remind us that even when we read alone, we’re never truly alone because every book is a shared experience waiting to happen.

This July, as we explore Community and Belonging, we’re bringing that idea to life. By teaming up with another squad, you’re not just checking off a task, you’re creating the kind of real-world connection our favorite stories so often celebrate. It’s a chance to see books through new eyes, discover unexpected favorites, and strengthen the bonds that make this challenge more than just reading.

What better way to explore belonging than by building it together?

🎯 Goal: Team up with another squad to read one shared book and earn mega points!

📚 HOW IT WORKS

• Pick 1 book that fits at least one July task for BOTH teams and submit to me for approval by June 25th
• Double-Dip Bonus: Get +20pts if it fits two different tasks (e.g., The House in the Cerulean Sea = "close-knit community" + "immigrant journey").
• I CAN’T STRESS THIS ENOUGH - If a book loosely fits one (or two) tasks, make your case, I am flexible! Please don’t worry about perfection!

📈 Buddy Read Bonuses:

• 30pts per reader (counts toward personal totals).
• 75pts per team if 100% of your team participates.
• +10pts for creative posts (memes, fanart, playlists, etc.) awarded to each reader who posts something (max 1 each)

💬 DISCUSSION TIME!
Each team pair gets a dedicated thread. Chat, connect, and answer fun prompts like:
• “How does this book reflect belonging?”
• “Which character would you invite to your book club?”
• “Did any moment in the book make you feel unexpectedly connected to the story, a character, or even each other?”
• “If this book were a community event (festival, support group, secret society, etc.), what would it be and who would attend?”
• “Which character would struggle the most (or thrive the most) in your real-life friend group or team?”
• “What quote or scene best captured the theme of connection for you?”

Or make up your own prompts! Be creative, have fun, and really dig into your shared story.

TEAM PAIRINGS + THREAD TITLES
1. Quill Questers + Narrative Nomads
Thread Title: "Dances With Footnotes" (Play on Dances With Wolves)

2. Page Pioneers + Tome Trekkers
Thread Title: "Raiders of the Lost Archive" (Indiana Jones)

3. Chapter Champions + Novel Navigators
Thread Title: "The Last Chapter-tain" (The Last Samurai)

4. Bookworm Brigade + Fable Finders
Thread Title: "The Book Thief" (No pun needed—it’s already perfect!)

5. Saga Scouts + Plotline Pathfinders
Thread Title: "Lord of the Highlights" (Lord of the Rings)

6. Prose Pursuers + Storyscape Seekers
Thread Title: "The Silence of the Librarians" (The Silence of the Lambs)

⏰ TIMELINE
June 25: Submit your team’s book pick for mod approval.
July 1-31: Read, discuss, and celebrate your shared story!

Oh.. and just one more thing…

🎉 Q3 MINI-CHALLENGE: BOOK TITLE CHALLENGE
Starting July 1, earn 10 points per book by reading titles that begin with the same letter as your first name (e.g., “Matilda” for Michael). Unlimited entries—as long as the books fit this month’s tasks!

Ready? Let’s bridge those bookshelves and build some bonds! 💬📚🫶

[Trisha]

Tasks early again!! Thank you so much!!

[Sammy]

Thanks Ashley! this looks super interesting. will re-read tomorrow when my brain hasn't shut down for the day 😆

[Kirsten]

Oy! This looks fantastic, Ashley. This is the best challenge ever in the history of ever.

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

😊Glad you like it so far!

[MN Lisa, Mistress of Mayhem with a Method]

For the Q3 Mini Challenge...in Goodreads I go by MN Lisa, but my First Name is Lisa so I should use L correct? Its actual name not Goodreads name?

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

MN Lisa wrote: "For the Q3 Mini Challenge...in Goodreads I go by MN Lisa, but my First Name is Lisa so I should use L correct? Its actual name not Goodreads name?"

You may choose, but once you choose, no take-backs.

[Jenny]

Ashley, when you say that we can double dip, and have a book that fits two tasks, does that mean we get page points twice? Or bonus points twice?
Trying to figure out if it is worth making a book fit two tasks or not.

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

you get an extra 20 pts if the book fits 2 tasks, but you'll still only be using it for 1 task

[Jenny]

Sorry if I am being stupid, but does that mean we leave the second task blank? Or do we find another book for the second task as if it hadn't been used?

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

Jenny wrote: "Sorry if I am being stupid, but does that mean we leave the second task blank? Or do we find another book for the second task as if it hadn't been used?"

It's ok! Let's say you find a book that fits 2 tasks and that's your groups choice to read. You read that book, place it 1 of the 2 tasks that it fits for (your choice) and you get 20 bonus points for that book, in addition to all the other points you receive for that book. The other task it works for is still open and can be read for (or not) with a different book, for normal points.

It's JUST a bonus point opportunity, it doesn't change anything about the normal 1 book per task rule.

[Jenny]

Well that makes perfect sense!!!!

[Teddie]

This is a great mini challenge for those with a name beginning with "T"
-- oh hey! :)

[Jenny]

TTTTTTTTTeddie. I'm pretty sure I have no J books planned, alas. But I will be looking for them.

[Geri]

Ashley. I don’t see a column on the spreadsheet for the 20 extra points for ‘double dipping’ for the shared team buddy read. Will you add it after we have posted our book choice and justification?

Thanks!

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

Geri wrote: "Ashley. I don’t see a column on the spreadsheet for the 20 extra points for ‘double dipping’ for the shared team buddy read. Will you add it after we have posted our book choice and justification? ..."

Hi! So, at the bottom of the July tab, there is a check box for "Double-Dip Bonus", if your team is double dipping check the box and, it will count the number of checkmarks in the "Book Bridge Bonus" column and multiply it by 20, and add it to the light orange box on the Dashboard (J15).

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

📢 Quick Clarification!
I forgot to mention this in the original post, but it’s important:

👉 If your team is missing a member, you’re still eligible for the Book Bridge Completion Bonus (that sweet 75 points) as long as all active members participate.

And don’t worry — you won’t be penalized for missing teammates. If your team would’ve earned the bonus with full participation, you’ll be given mod books to fill in the gap. That includes bonus points for the Bridge, so everything stays fair and balanced across all teams.

Let me know if you have questions! 💬📚

[Trisha]

Hello!

so our two teams - The Last Chapter-tain -
have agreed on a book:



so I just submit it here for you? or is there another way?
also, I'm going to head over to the buddy read area and request a thread over there too 😊😊😊

[Ashley, The Tipsy Challenger]

Trisha wrote: "Hello!

so our two teams - The Last Chapter-tain -
have agreed on a book:



so I just submit it here for you? or is there another way?
also, I'm going to head ..."

Here is fine! Also, there is no need to another thread! Use your group thread!