Read Women discussion
2025 BINGO - Multi-Prompt
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2025 BINGO - Two Cards to Explore!
Carol, I'll set up the spreadsheet again. It can easily be updated if there are any changes
Fun ideas! I may take advantage of those subbing options and go for a couple different lines :) I'm sure I'll be cool with changes if they happen.
Gail W wrote: "Carol, I'll set up the spreadsheet again. It can easily be updated if there are any changes"That would be great, Gail. I loved being able to use the Google doc with shading and all last year. Thank you!
Oooooo - I like this one! Thanks for setting it up.
Definitely will join in on the BINGO challenge. Thanks for setting it up, Carol, and thanks for the spreadsheet, Gail!
You're welcome, Ozsaur - this is so fun it's a pleasure.is anyone interested in us collaborating to create a list of possibilities for any prompt, whether for Dark Academia or non-celeb memoirs, for example?
Gail - I think you created a handful of lists last year, including one for short story collections. Could you reshare any links to lists that apply, please?
A great description of Dark Academia from Bookish Brews, including a discussion of the troubling whiteness and European predominance in this genre. https://bookishbrews.com/dark-academi...
I'm looking forward to understanding the genre. Heck, I may even read my first Donna Tartt, although I always thought my first would be The Goldfinch.
Select Listopias:Short stories: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Other lists I've voted on for different challenges that may be of some help:
Cats and Dogs
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Disability:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Essays
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
Latin America:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Physical or Mental Health:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...
Carol wrote: "A great description of Dark Academia from Bookish Brews, including a discussion of the troubling whiteness and European predominance in this genre. ttps://bookishbrews.com/dark-academia-the-trut..."Read some of this and this passage struck me hard: "...Keeping the demographic of white people only in dark academia encourages the narrative that only white people should have access to higher education. This is especially dangerous in the actively resegregating time we are in today."
Thanks Carol and Gail for your time and some reading options. I'm sure they'll come in handy. Right now I'm overwhelmed with choices that I've been gathering over the last few years and just want to start reading and stop planning and trying to report. Got computer issues with GR widgets to boot. lol
Gail W wrote: "Carol wrote: "A great description of Dark Academia from Bookish Brews, including a discussion of the troubling whiteness and European predominance in this genre. ttps://bookishbrews.com/dark-academ..."She had a lot of insightful commentary, I thought.
Carol wrote: "A great description of Dark Academia from Bookish Brews, including a discussion of the troubling whiteness and European predominance in this genre. https://bookishbrews.com/dark-academi......"
OK that helps. I had been wondering what exactly makes something dark academia. Interestingly, having read Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé very recently, I wondered as I read the article if it doesn't qualify cuz the author of the article emphasizes higher education and classical studies and this book is YA about kids in high school but it is an elite uber special private school and has a few other hallmarks of dark academia. Then, at the end of the article she names the book, so... there ya go. I can recommend that one as a dark academia that is a bit lighter as it's YA, also British, Black, and queer and I found it quite enjoyable. Well, author is British I believe and story might be taking place in US if I remember right.
There's also our group's resource thread for books with disability and neurodivergence representation: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...I skimmed a bit of the Cats and Dogs list Gail linked. Lots of men, lots of pages! But it gave me the idea that just the title or maybe even cover art? could count.
From what I've read and liked, these could count:
Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood
-it might just be the title- I don't remember a cat in it. I'd love to revisit this one but probably won't do soon cuz it's kinda long. But I remember I really liked it.
Claudine à l'école / Claudine at School by Colette Gauthier-Villars
-features MC hanging out with her cat here and there, pretty adorable cat writing
Colette also has a story called The Cat. It's often paired in one book with Gigi: Gigi and The Cat
And our fellow group member Alwynne piqued my interest when she reviewed this one Invisible Kitties: A Feline Study of Fluid Mechanics or The Spurious Incidents of the Cats in the Night-Time by Yu Yoyo. I'm tempted to try it as audio.
Jen wrote: "Carol wrote: "A great description of Dark Academia from Bookish Brews, including a discussion of the troubling whiteness and European predominance in this genre. https://bookishbrews.com/dark-aca..."
I am so excited that Ace of Spades will work for this. I had put it on hold at my library this weekend after it appeared in several most anticipated lists and lo here we have a sign from the heavens.
I had a little weekend excursion and got quite a ways into a great audiobook in the car- Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe- wow is this a fun ride of a story and fits the social media/platform prompt. I have a few hours to go but it's been super entertaining. Listening to the sample that is the opening scene got me instantly and gives a good feel for the vibe of it all.
Jen wrote: "...Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe..."Thanks! I have the book, but didn't think it fit anything. Yay!
I'm definitely giving it a try! I love bingos!
Carol wrote: "Gail W wrote: "Carol, I'll set up the spreadsheet again. It can easily be updated if there are any changes"That would be great, Gail. I loved being able to use the Google doc with shading and all..."
Thank you for setting it up and could you add me please?
I just added myself to the spreadsheet! Now, let's see if I remember to look at all of the squares when I have a minute to do some book plotting :D
Jen wrote: "I had a little weekend excursion and got quite a ways into a great audiobook in the car- Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe- wow is this a fun ride of a sto..."Oh, I just loved this book!!! I might have to re-read it this year!
Margo’s got money troubles is moving up my TBR. Way up. Our February group reads cover the feminism In Defense of Witches: The Legacy of the Witch Hunts and Why Women Are Still on Trial and the alternate prompt, author of Arab descent (The Stationery Shop), I think.
Jen wrote: "I had a little weekend excursion and got quite a ways into a great audiobook in the car- Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe- wow is this a fun ride of a sto..."I listened to the audiobook for Margo's Got Money Troubles too and really enjoyed it!
It's not my typical genre at all, but it was so clever.
Hope you enjoy it Carol! It was a nice surprise "wild-card" mixed into my "normal" reading.
I like the idea of alternate prompts! I have absolutely no interest in: Social Media or Social Platforms are a main theme. I substituted it with: Stand Alone Fantasy novel. So, yay for alternate prompts.
Oh fun- too bad we didn't coordinate a group/buddy read for Margo's Got Money Troubles. I bet that'd be a fun change of pace to read a funny one together. Anyway, I'm glad others liked this off-the-wall story too. Endearing + ridic + a lot of meaningful messaging too on poverty, addiction, pornography, ... and wrestling! ha... And weeks later, the thought of that opening scene is still funny to me haha...And I'm now inadvertently filling another bingo square I hadn't really planned on- I'm reading my first Shirley Jackson. We Have Always Lived in the Castle features a cat a lot and he's even on the cover. I searched my library ebook and the cat's name appears 99 times! I'm only halfway through but it's a short book and I think it's safe to assume it qualifies for the Cats and Dogs prompt :) Also- super enjoying Ms Jackson. And for those who checked out the Amparo Dávila with me for the December group read, I do see something akin to each other's writing style. Perhaps the intimate familial themes. I think I enjoy Jackson's writing even more but of course there's nothing possibly lost in translation here. And so far, there's a cozy vibe which is an upside for me.
Jen wrote: "Oh fun- too bad we didn't coordinate a group/buddy read for Margo's Got Money Troubles. I bet that'd be a fun change of pace to read a funny one together. Anyway, I'm glad others l..."Jen, I agree. I loved the clever way Rufi Thorpe wove in so many modern issues through Margot's voice. I loved Margot's musings about how women are judged, the double standards and hypocrisy in our patriarchal system and more.
Jen wrote: "And I'm now inadvertently filling another bingo square I hadn't really planned on- I'm reading my first Shirley Jackson. We Have Always Lived in the Castle features a cat a lot and he's even on the cover. "Cool. I have that one on my shelf, and it has been staring at me. I love Shirley Jackson, so I may have to dig this one out soon.
Misty wrote: "I like the idea of alternate prompts! I have absolutely no interest in: Social Media or Social Platforms are a main theme. I substituted it with: Stand Alone Fantasy novel. So, yay for alternate pr..."I totally get that.
Btw, last year I read Clare Mackintosh's A Game of Lies - which meets the social media/social platforms prompt - and is flat out delightful. If you ever get in the mood for police procedural/mystery that takes place in Wales and doesn't involve an alcoholic 50+ year old, twice-divorced white guy rebelling against The Man, keep it in mind.
Jen wrote: "Oh fun- too bad we didn't coordinate a group/buddy read for Margo's Got Money Troubles. I bet that'd be a fun change of pace to read a funny one together. Anyway, I'm glad others l..."I saw you were reading that and wondered what you thought! I so rarely do horror/gothic but adored The Haunting of Hill House and mostly liked the short story collection we tackled as a group read last fall. I'll move Castle up my TBR and remember the Cat prompt as a bonus.
Jen wrote: "Oh fun- too bad we didn't coordinate a group/buddy read for Margo's Got Money Troubles...."Speaking of buddy reads, are you still planning on Willa Cather? Maybe for March?
Carol wrote: "Btw, last year I read Clare Mackintosh's A Game of Lies - which meets the social media/social platforms prompt - and is flat out delightful. If you ever get in the mood for police procedural/mystery that takes place in Wales and doesn't involve an alcoholic 50+ year old, twice-divorced white guy rebelling against The Man, keep it in mind."LOL! Will do! :) Another good series is the Timber Creek K-9 Mystery series by Margaret Mizushima. I have read the first five. They're really good. It is set in a fictional Colorado mountain town, and the MC is a woman officer and her K-9. I'm hoping to read more of them this year. (As an aside, my friend who is an author knows Margaret and says she is a truly lovely person - which makes me love the books even more. I love hearing that the authors I enjoy are also genuinely good people.)
I finished the "Debut Novel" square. I read Yellow Crocus by Laila Ibrahim, and it was such a good book. She does an amazing job of showing the complex bond between the enslaved wet nurse and the white baby. The breastfeeding/childbirth/midwife parts of the book are written so sensitively and beautifully. So many books just gloss over that part of women's stories, but this one shows their power. I loved the book. She also does a great job of showing how trapped each was in their own way.
Misty wrote: "Carol wrote: "Btw, last year I read Clare Mackintosh's A Game of Lies - which meets the social media/social platforms prompt - and is flat out delightful. If you ever get in the mood for police pro..."I’ve put yellow crocus on hold (thank you!) and will look for one of mizushima’s. I know I’ve seen them. Great nudges.
I hope you like it. I'd be very curious what you think. I read some criticism about Ibrahim's book with which I vehemently disagree. So.... are we considering authors to be celebrities? I have a couple of different memoirs. One of them is from Amy Tan. I'm not sure if I should include her, or if she is considered a celebrity. I mean she does play in a band with Stephen King and other authors! LOL. :) There's your fun fact for today if you didn't already know - the Rock Bottom Remainders. But seriously, I'm wondering if I should include her on the BINGO, or if I should read a different one.
Misty wrote: "I hope you like it. I'd be very curious what you think. I read some criticism about Ibrahim's book with which I vehemently disagree. So.... are we considering authors to be celebrities? I have a ..."
I personally am interpreting celebrity to mean from Hollywood or similar limelight. I would count an Amy Tan memoir as non-celeb. I really want to read hers too someday. I'm so tempted to subscribe to PBS passport so I can watch the documentary on her, as well as the Finding Your Roots episode Gail mentioned elsewhere.
Gail W wrote: "Jen wrote: "Oh fun- too bad we didn't coordinate a group/buddy read for Margo's Got Money Troubles...."Speaking of buddy reads, are you still planning on Willa Cather? Maybe for ..."
My Ántonia is still on my list and if I successfully squeeze it in, it would be in March, yes!
Jen wrote: "I personally am interpreting celebrity to mean from Hollywood or similar limelight. I would count an Amy Tan memoir as non-celeb."Thanks. That's what I was thinking as well, but I wanted a second opinion! :)
Carol wrote: "Jen wrote: "Oh fun- too bad we didn't coordinate a group/buddy read for Margo's Got Money Troubles. I bet that'd be a fun change of pace to read a funny one together. Anyway, I'm g..."Done with We Have Always Lived in the Castle- 5 stars for me! I have little experience with horror and gothic but I'm now sold on Shirley Jackson, that is for sure.
I wouldn't call this one horror at all. And- especially as a first-time reader of Jackson- I gotta say I loved the short afterword by Jonathan Lethem for deepening appreciation of her, her work, and this one in particular. So I recommend reading a copy that includes that. I've got Hill House in my TBR already I believe. Will definitely add that collection that was a recent group read. What a loss that she died at 48. At least she was relatively prolific in the time she had... It's like Octavia Butler- I'll have to pace myself going through her oeuvre to make it last :)
This was re: Cats and Dogs prompt
Jen wrote: "Carol wrote: "Jen wrote: "Oh fun- too bad we didn't coordinate a group/buddy read for Margo's Got Money Troubles. I bet that'd be a fun change of pace to read a funny one together...."I’ll definitely move Castle up my TBR.
(Re her early death, she had a really unhealthy (no pun intended) marriage and died while taking a nap. If you’re reading In Defense of Witches, the effort of being the family breadwinner, raising 4 kids, dealing with Stanley (husband) , managing anxiety, was one helluvan achievement but must have been overwhelming.
”It was an incredible struggle for Jackson to balance writing with the demands of raising the children. Meanwhile Hyman, continued to insist on their marriage being “open” and carried on public affairs, including with his own students—one of whom even moved in with them for a time.”. An excerpt from this Electric lit article, if you’re interested in reading more about her :
https://electricliterature.com/shirle...
I finished Row 1 today:1B: Visual or Performing Arts - Colored Television (3.5 stars)
1I: Europe and MC is BAME - Ordinary People (3.75 stars)
1N: Country bordering Pacific Ocean - Dandelion (3.75 stars)
1G: LGBTQ+ - We Could Be Rats (3.5 stars)
1O: Short stories or essays - Householders (3.75 stars)
Susan wrote: "I finished Row 1 today:..."Yay! Congrats!
Carol wrote: "Jen wrote: "Carol wrote: "Jen wrote: "Oh fun- too bad we didn't coordinate a group/buddy read for Margo's Got Money Troubles. I bet that'd be a fun change of pace to read a funny o..."Read that article, Carol. You find great stuff on that site! Tja... I'd read elsewhere before- not as much- about the husband. He sounds horrible, it's so sad... But the article also makes me very curious about her unfinished novel. And upset that she couldn't finish it...
Susan wrote: "I finished Row 1 today:1B: Visual or Performing Arts - Colored Television (3.5 stars)
1I: Europe and MC is BAME - Ordinary People (3.75 stars)
1N: Country borderin..."
Nice! Although that's too bad no highly rated ones. But nothing too low either... :)
I have a lot of solid plans for bingo squares but all together they are not making up bingo lines, so I'm liking the multi-prompt challenge option here. And by the way, fun seeing so many folks on the spreadsheet Gail made. When I go there to update, it's fun to have a glance at others' boards.
Did anyone know that Danzy Senna is the wife of Percival Everett? Just read that in an article a few days ago.
I just found this and I'll participate but I'll do it during 12 months instead of six. If that's ok.
Nike wrote: "I just found this and I'll participate but I'll do it during 12 months instead of six. If that's ok."Nike, if you want to use the google doc to keep track, you will find it here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Gail W wrote: "Did anyone know that Danzy Senna is the wife of Percival Everett? Just read that in an article a few days ago."I learned last year, and had the same sense of, am I the last to know? Last week, I learned Mary Oliver was queer, in a long-term relationship with her partner. I really like having a fuller sense of authors’ lives as I read.
Jen wrote: "Carol wrote: "Jen wrote: "Carol wrote: "Jen wrote: "Oh fun- too bad we didn't coordinate a group/buddy read for Margo's Got Money Troubles. I bet that'd be a fun change of pace to ..."She so got cheated of precious time. It pisses me off. Yea, I don’t know much about the novel, Could be an interesting read if she was able to get it anywhere near publication shape.
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Check out our 6-month, 1 Jan through 30 June, BINGO card full of varied themes and criteria to be satisfied. Members seeking a way to expand out of their comfortable reading ruts without committing to categories that don't appeal can take the original BINGO approach and choose a 5-book path across, down or diagonally that offers themes and prompts that most appeal. Members seeking a more robust challenge can complete all of the prompts on the card.
Any prompt or theme can be satisfied by either non-fiction or fiction books. There are also 4 alternative prompts you can choose to sub for a theme that doesn't resonate with you.
A1 Visual or Performing Arts
B1 European setting and MC is BAME
C1 Set in a country bordering the Pacific Ocean
D1 LGBTQ+
E1 Short Story or Essay Collection
A2 Latin America
B2 Disability
C2 Memoir (not a celebrity)
D2 Graphic Novel
E2 Classic (first published on or pre-1975)
A3 First Published in 2025
B3 Debut Novel
C3 Southern Africa*
D3 Physical or Mental Health
E3 Ukraine
A4 Cats or Dogs
B4 Poetry Collection
C4 Feminism
D4 Scotland
E4 Author of African Descent
A5 Indigenous Author
B5 Dark Academia
C5 Social Media or Social Platforms are a main theme
D5 Nonfiction on a topic new to you
E5 Science or Nature
*Southern Africa countries: Angola, Botswana, the Comoros, Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Alternative prompts you can substitute for any of the above themes – Author of Arab descent, Standalone Fantasy novel, Buddhism is a main theme, Cover art you love
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In message 5, Gail has included the link to a Google Doc that presents the themes in the form of a traditional BINGO card, and allows each member to set up their own card and use various formatting tools to indicate what's pending, complete etc. Yay!