What book(s) are you currently reading or listening to? July 08
(discuss.online)
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WELCOME TO THE 2nd ANNUAL !BOOKS@LEMMY.WORLD BINGO 2025!
(literature.cafe)
Want to read more, but need motivation or direction? Want to gamify or expand your reading? Try book bingo! Our hope with this challenge is to provide a fun way for you to keep up with your recreational reading goals throughout the next 12 months.
How Does It Work?
The goal is to read something that fits the theme for each bingo square in any single row, column, or corner diagonal of your choice (one work per square). You’re welcome to complete the entire card (or multiple cards) for an additional challenge goal, but you only need to check off a single line of 5 squares to complete the challenge.
So what can you read? Well, anything you enjoy, really. There's no requirement to consume any particular kind of work, so any length, format, subject, or genre is totally fine. Want to read graphic novels, audiobooks, poetry, 10-page memoirs, or works in other languages? No problem. There's no bingo police, either! If you think you can make a well-reasoned argument for why something fits the spirit of a square, go for it. There's even a process for substituting a square if it doesn't quite fit your preferences.
We hope you’ll participate in the community throughout the year by posting what you’re reading in the weekly "What are you reading?" thread, and by helping others with recommendations.
In mid-April, 2026, we'll put up a turn-in post to collect everyone's cards. After the thread closes at the end of April, we'll use the submissions to put together a summary of the results, and to determine eligibility for community flair (currently not possible, but maybe in the future!) or some other recognition. If you want to be included, please make sure to contribute to that post, even if you've made other bingo posts or comments during the year.
Rules
- You must read a different work for every square you complete, even across multiple cards. There's no problem, however, with overlapping other reading challenges that aren't associated with c/Books.
- Repeating authors on the same card isn’t forbidden, but we encourage you to read different authors for every square on a card.
- Likewise, we encourage you to primarily read things you haven’t read before.
- If you’re having trouble filling a certain square, you are welcome to substitute any non-duplicate square from last year's card. The center square (C3) is the one exception, and is not eligible for substitution. Please limit your substitutions to one per card.
- The 2025 challenge runs May 1^st^, 2025 – April 30^th^, 2026. Anything you finish during that time period is eligible, as long as you were no more than halfway through on May 1^st^, 2025.
Upping the Difficulty
Want an additional challenge? Try one of these, or come up with a variation of your own (and share them!).
- Hard Mode: This is just a stretch goal for those interested -- it does not convey any greater achievement. Most square descriptions include an optional extra restriction, which you can do or ignore on a square-by-square basis. It's up to you!
- Genre Mode: Read only one genre.
- Review Mode: Write a review (ratings alone don’t count) for the books you read for bingo, either here on c/Books, a personal blog, Bookwyrm, The Storygraph, Hardcover.app, or elsewhere.
The Card
Squares in List Form
The Squares
Row 1
- 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.
- 1B Author from a Different Continent: The author(s) resides on a different continent than you do. HARD MODE: The work required translation to be published in your native language.
- 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.
- 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.
- 1E Now a Major Motion Picture: The work has been adapted into a show or single episode, movie, play, audio drama, or other format. HARD MODE: Watch or listen to the adaptation as well (rewatches are ok!).
Row 2
- 2A Independent Author: Read a work self-published by the author. Any work later published though a conventional publishing house doesn't count unless you are reading it before the switch, and its rerelease date is after April 30^th^, 2026. HARD MODE: Not published via Amazon Kindle Direct.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 2E Banned Book: Read a work from the ALA's (American Library Association's) list of the top 100 banned books in the US 2010-2019. If you are a non-American and there is a similar list for your region, that is also a valid source for comparable information. Additionally, you can use the content from the Wikipedia post on banned books. HARD MODE: One of the top 50 (or equivalent).
Row 3
- 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.
- 3B Title: [X] of [Y] - The title of the book must feature the format described, such as A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin. HARD MODE: [X] of [Y] and [Z] (the conjunctions can be flexible).
- 3C FREE SPACE - Off Your TBR Pile: A book that’s been on your TBR list for a long time. HARD MODE: Overlaps with at least one other bingo square theme.
- 3D LGBTQIA+ Lead: A main character identifies as LGBTQIA+. HARD MODE: Includes a significant romantic relationship between characters that identify as LGBTQIA+.
- 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.
Row 4
- 4A New Release: New for 2025/2026 (no reprints or new editions). First translations into your language of choice are allowed. HARD MODE: This is the first work you've read by this author.
- 4B Alliterative Title: Many books boldly boast alliteration to attract audience attention. HARD MODE: More than 2 alliterative words in the title, excluding definite articles or conjunctions.
- 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.
- 4D Award Winner: Has won a notable and widely regarded literature award. HARD MODE: More than one award.
- 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.
Row 5
- 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.
- 5B Political: Political movements are a major driver of the work. HARD MODE: From the perspective of machinations in the background, outside the typical positions of power or major government.
- 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.
- 5D Cozy Read: Cozies generally feature a smaller cast of characters in a smaller location, emphasize community, highlight successes and inspirational moments, and have a more optimistic and upbeat tone. Above all, they have to have a satisfyingly happy ending. They offer comfort to their readers and a safe escape from the realities of daily life. HARD MODE: There is no hard mode, hard mode defeats the purpose of the cozy task.
- 5E Jerk with a Heart of Gold: A significant figure may be rude, gruff, or even insufferable; however, beneath all that, a surprising kindness shows in the right moments. Maybe they are bad at the whole feelings thing, are doing it to hide a deep pain or maintain a position of responsibility, or maybe it's just all a façade, but their actions ultimately reveal a core of genuine caring. HARD MODE: Not A Man Called Ove/Otto.
Resources
If you make or find any bingo-related resources, ping or DM me so I can add them here. Thanks!
Appreciation
- This challenge is inspired by, but totally separate from, the one run by r/Fantasy on Reddit. We deeply appreciate the past organizers and the work they did that we are now benefitting from.
- 2025 bingo card font credits: Parchment, by Photo-Lettering, Inc.; Noto Sans, by the Noto Project authors.
MarkDown Card (click to expand)
MarkDown Card (click to expand)
| A | B | C | D | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Number in the Title | Author from a Different Continent | Featured Creature | Minority Author | Now a Major Motion Picture |
| 2 | Independent Author | Set in War | Orange Crush | Short and Sweet | Banned Book |
| 3 | Based on Folklore | Title: X of Y | FREE SPACE - Off Your TBR Pile | LGBTQIA+ Lead | Saddle Up |
| 4 | New Release | Alliterative Title | Judge a Book by Its Cover | Award Winner | Gamble, Game, or Contest |
| 5 | Steppin' Up! | Political | Late to the Party | Cozy Read | Jerk with a Heart of Gold |
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I went back recently and reread Arrows of the Queen from the Heralds of Valdemar series. I remember being absolutely in love with this series when I was a young teen. After rereading it, I was surprised to find the world building still held up. It's a little silly to get sparkly eyed over magical justice horses but, hey, it's still a fun fantasy.
The writing in general doesn't hold up as well as I remember. Not that it's bad--but events moved at a much faster clip than I had remembered them doing. I could have sworn there was a lot more time and attention paid to certain events that wound up taking about a chapter or so to resolve. There was also a lot more references to historical events than I remembered--in such a way that stuck out to me as odd, since this was the first book in publication order if I'm not mistaken. But they were very "Oh yeah remember when Herald So and So did Thing?" and it definitely feels like a mid-series book in that regard.
And Talia, though sweet, did have a bit of a "Everyone loves her and she's too good, too pure for this sinful world" about her that got a little tiresome towards the end.
So--either what are some of your experiences rereading old YA classics. Or, alternatively, how did you feel about this series at whatever point in your reading lifetime?
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Finishing Hyperion, what next?
(lemmy.world)
I read the first 3 Dune books after seeing the movie and hearing about the challenges of getting that story on the screen. Love the first 2, the ending of the 3rd was ok.
I’m 3/4ths through the 4th and final Hyperion books. Absolutely incredible, I’m disappointed knowing I’ll be done with it soon. I highly recommend it if you’re at all curious. The author does an excellent job sneaking deep references into the colorful narrative; Keats and Ancient Greek mythology among them. The characters are vivid, varied, and somehow all relatable.
When I was younger I liked Vonnegut, specifically Galapagos, cats cradle, and slaughter house 5. I recently read Philip K Dicks “do androids… electric sheep” and wasn’t a fan. I loved the film blade runner, but the book kind of trudged on for me with, what I felt was, a let down of an ending. Asimov’s foundation was ok, but it lacked action and the characters seemed thin; I do like the concept a lot, it was just missing something for me.
So what’s next? I read a few classics in school and wasn’t terribly moved by most of them. I’ve considered giving Philip K Dick another chance, and possibly exploring the Dune books not authored by Herbert. I’m not a big fan of fantasy- at least in the horse riding, sword wielding, magic and sorcery vein.
Thanks for any suggestions
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So, I just read Frankenstein for the first time. Very enjoyable. I have read a lot about the themes over the years, and of course one of the most common is that Frankenstein is actually the monster and that the "Monster" is innocent.
I'll come back to that.
Despite reading about the book and hearing it discussed in popular culture, there were still a few surprises:
- Dr. Frankenstein is not a doctor at all. He is a brilliant, although somewhat miseducated young man, more akin to an overzealous grad student than anything else.
- The Monster is not made of corpses. Although one of the plot elements is the concealing of the exact nature of his construction, it is alluded to. Mr. Frankenstein consults bones from the mortuary, but it is not clear that he uses them in actually making the Creature. It is just as likely that he is using them to study their anatomy and recreate them from other materials. At one point he specuates that he could use this method to reanimate decaying flesh, but dismisses it out of hand. Lastly, the proportions and properties of the monster make it impossible that it was made of human bodies. Which leads me to:
- The monster is truly terrifying. The Creature possess superhuman speed, strength, agility, is both massive at 8 feet tall, and supernaturally stealthy. It can move at tremendous speed across any type of terrain, enter any closed room virtually at will, and go undetected to suddenly appear within feet of a victim. It is relentless and able to endure conditions that would kill an average person. It is also possess incredible intelligence and strategic capability.
- It is incredibly creepy. Despite the Creature's superhuman intelligence and ability to understand and learn about human social mores, it desperately chooses to reveal itself in the most disturbing ways. Imagine a beggar coming to your home, saying he hopes to live with a family that he has been watching closely for a long time and profoundly loves but they do not know he exists. Then he suddenly reveals that it is you and your family he has been secretly watching for months. This is exactly how the monster chooses to reveal himself to the world, and is it any surprise that the family is disturbed to the point that they kick him out and move away?
Now, the young Mr. Frankenstein is not a complete innocent either. He does create a living, feeling, thinking being without considering the consequences. He does abandon the creature (or rather allows the creature to wander away and doesn't go looking for it). He engages in unethical research, but he is also not ever given any training in ethics. He is a grad student who, in essence, stumbled on the secret to give life and decided to test it. How many young students right now are developing programs that they don't fully understand in hopes of achieving AGI? Are they all monsters, too? Or are they young curious people who love science, have hopes for high achievement, and no proper ethical education?
It is relevant that Frankenstein is not a Doctor, in that he has not been thoughtfully in the field, seen the errors of others, experienced setbacks and implications of his work, or shared his work with others. He is just a little more than a kid in his parents basement hacking away on something in solitude (well, the attic of his boarding school, but you get the idea).
He should have shared what he was working on. He should have warned those he loved that they were in danger of this monster, he should have risked the disbelief that he feared in sharing the truth. Most of the people who are killed by the monster could have been saved, or at least warned of the danger if he was not so intent on keeping it a secret. Frankenstein is a complex hero.
And the Creature is a complex villain. He is abandoned in the world and mistreated by those who are afraid of his appearance. He is desperately lonely. So he decides to force his creator to make him a mate against his will. He does so through violent threats, proven by murders that the monster has already committed without hesitation.
He is what we would today call a violent incel. He thinks he is too ugly to be loved except by a monster like himself. He has no interest in whether such a creature would have any interest in him. Frankenstein almost caves, and in fact begins to make a bride for the creature, only to finally consider the moral implications of such an act. He destroys his work before the monster's eyes.
Let's talk about Justine. Following the (probably) first murder, of Frankenstein's kid brother, the monster frames her for the act. Justine is basically an orphan that the Frankenstein family took in as something of a charge or perhaps maid. But the monster, crucially, doesn't know this. He sees a random woman asleep in a barn and instantly thinks of making her his girlfriend (she had fallen asleep while looking for the missing boy). But then he decides that she would only reject him too, so he plants evidence of the murder on her because Justine is guilty of being a somewhat attractive young woman - who would surely reject him if given the chance. You see why I characterize him as a violent incel.
People sometimes point to the occasional gentle and even heroic nature of the creature as proof that Frankenstein made him into the monster he became. He helps the family he (innocently) stalks for months in numerous ways. He tries to save a little girl from drowning. He ultimately expresses remorse for his actions and claims he will go to the wilderness and kill himself. But in the meantime, he just straight up murders a lot of innocent people to "punish" Frankenstein. He is not a hero or even an antihero. He is just a complex villain.
Anyway, this is already longer than I really intended. I'm happy to hear the thoughts of others. Have you read the book? Do you agree or disagree?
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New book sheds light on Lincoln’s misunderstood killer: ‘He’s not that person at all’
(www.theguardian.com)
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