Hooked on Books discussion

Bookworm Brigade Book Quest
Duration: January 2025 to December 2025

Welcome, Bookworm Brigade! This thread is your space to connect, share book recommendations, discuss your reading experiences, and post updates throughout the Book Quest Adventure. 📚✨

🌟 Team Members:
Alyana
Melissa
Geri
Kari
Karen

📊 Team Spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
🏅 Scoresheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

🏆 *Updated* Scoring System

1. Page Points
0.01 points per page (with rounding)
100 to 149 pgs = 1pt
150 to 249 pgs = 2pts
and so on…

2. Task Completion
10 points for each monthly theme task completed
Maximum of 100 points per month (10 tasks x 10 points)

3. Bonus Genre
Additional 5 points if the task is completed with a book from the monthly bonus genre

4. Reviews and Summaries
5 points for each book review or summary submitted
Reviews must be at least 200 words to qualify

5. Discussions
5 points for active participation in each book discussion
Discussions must be held in the Buddy Read folder with a mod-approved thread

6. Team Reading Challenge
2 bonus points per book if the entire team reads the same book in a month

7. Diversity Reading Bonus
5 bonus points for reading a book by an author from an underrepresented group or a book translated from another language

8. Monthly Milestone Bonus
50 points if the team completes at least 80% of their monthly reading goals

9. Quarterly Milestone Bonuses
25 points if the team maintains an 80% or higher completion rate of their reading goals for the entire quarter

10. Team Balancing Bonus
To recognize teams that exceed their expected reading totals based on their combined maximum capacities, there is a Team Balancing Bonus. This bonus rewards teams for pushing beyond their limits while maintaining individual reading caps:

5% over Expected Total: 50 bonus points
10% over Expected Total: 100 bonus points
15% over Expected Total: 150 bonus points
20% or more over Expected Total: 200 bonus points

Example: If your team has a combined capacity of 36 books but reads 40 books in a month (11.11% over), your team will earn 100 bonus points.

11. Team Improvement Bonus
To encourage consistent growth and effort, there is a Team Improvement Bonus:
If your team increases its total books read compared to the previous month, you’ll earn an additional 30 bonus points. This bonus applies every month, rewarding teams for striving to improve regardless of their starting point.

Example: If your team read 29 books in Month 1 and increases to 35 books in Month 2, you’ll earn this bonus.

12. Adaptive Scoring System
To level the playing field further, there is an Adaptive Scoring System based on each team’s total monthly reading capacity:

Tier 1 (41-50 books): No multiplier
Tier 2 (31-40 books): 1.1x multiplier
Tier 3 (21-30 books): 1.2x multiplier

All points earned by the team (including bonuses) will be multiplied by this factor at the end of each month. However, if your team exceeds its tier’s capacity (e.g., a Tier 3 team with a capacity of 28 books reads into Tier 1 territory by completing 45 books), the multiplier will no longer apply. This adjustment ensures fairness as teams progress into higher tiers.

🌟 Quarterly Mini-Challenges 🌟
Get ready to level up your reading game with our Quarterly Mini-Challenges! These fun challenges are designed to earn you extra points while diving deeper into your reading journey. Remember, to qualify for bonus points, the books must match the monthly tasks! Get reading to multi-task!!

📚 Q1: Themed Reading Week
• Week 1 (January 8-14): Books with Strong Female Leads 💪
Dive into inspiring stories featuring powerful female protagonists. Whether they’re overcoming challenges, leading adventures, or breaking barriers, these characters will motivate you!

• Week 2 (February 12-18): Books About Friendship 🤝
Celebrate the bonds that matter! Choose books that explore the beauty and complexity of friendship, from childhood pals to lifelong companions.

• Week 3 (March 19-25): Books Set in Different Countries 🌍
Travel the world through literature! Read stories set in diverse locations, immersing yourself in different cultures and perspectives. Choose books set in countries different from your own. Each book should represent a unique country.

Points: Earn 15 points per book that fits the weekly theme.

Hello all!

Hi Team! Just an FYI for Karen. She is moving tomorrow. So it may be a few days before she can check in. But she’ll be here before the challenge starts.

I’m excited to start this challenge!

Hi teamies, checking in and looking forward to the challenge!

Hi teamies!

I noticed our spreadsheet has been posted in our thread. January tasks are listed. We can start to plan. 🙂

I'll take a look tomorrow, thanks Geri 😊

I was able to find a book for 8 tasks. I can’t find anything for set on New Year’s Day. Or about New Year Resolutions. If anyone has a recommendation, let me know!

We can only use one book per task right? So we can't use one book for two different tasks?

I haven't looked yet, Geri. I rarely plan ahead but if I see anything interesting I'll post it here.

I've been reading mostly mm romance and cozy mysteries though, so I might not have too many recs for you guys :s

Hi, everyone! Thanks, Geri, for letting me know this was up! I'll start looking for books.

Hello Karen!

Okay, so we each read for all 10 tasks, is that right?

Kari, I don't read mm romances often, but I do like cozy mysteries!

I'm just starting to look for books - do we start them when the challenge starts?

I wonder how non-fiction plays in with this challenge.
I have many questions!

Hello all, yes I think we all have 10 tasks a month. I'm not sure if we should go by read date.

I'll try to look for some books tonight or tomorrow.

Karen ♐ wrote: "Hi, everyone! Thanks, Geri, for letting me know this was up! I'll start looking for books."

Happy birthday Karen! :)

Kari - I think we need a different book for each task. And we each have 10 tasks. As a side note, I’m definitely an OVER planner. LOL I read cozies too. Especially at night when I need something relaxing.

Melissa - non fiction will likely be a genre. Which I will be terrible at that month! LOL

Most of my planned books are MPG Contemporary. And I think one is an author of color.

The bonus for reviews will probably be too difficult for me. I checked and my reviews are around 80 something words normally. To count for the bonus, the reviews have to be 200 words! Not sure I can be that wordy. LOL Of course, if you asked my husband, he would probably vehemently disagree. 🤣

Ashley said she will post more information in a week or so. Questions may be answered then.

Geri wrote: "Kari - I think we need a different book for each task. And we each have 10 tasks. As a side note, I’m definitely an OVER planner. LOL I read cozies too. Especially at night when I need something re..."

I think I'm an over planner too Geri! I do have a spreadsheet just for planning and the challenges that I'm currently doing 😂

I'm glad some of you read cozies too :)
10 tasks a month isn't bad, we got this, go Bookworm Brigade! 💪

Alyana wrote: "Karen ♐ wrote: "Hi, everyone! Thanks, Geri, for letting me know this was up! I'll start looking for books."

Happy birthday Karen! :)"

Thanks!

Alyana wrote: "Geri wrote: "Kari - I think we need a different book for each task. And we each have 10 tasks. As a side note, I’m definitely an OVER planner. LOL I read cozies too. Especially at night when I need..."

I also have a spreadsheet or I wouldn’t be able to keep track of all the challenges.

Ashley has posted a lot of new information on the sign up thread and answered questions.

So the New Year’s Day book does not have to be set entirely on NYD. I was able to find some books that focus on NYE and the next day. And I found a self improvement book for making resolutions. I only read non fiction once or twice a year. LOL

Happy late birthday, Karen!

@Karen, happy belated bday!

Hi Team! Your spreadsheet has been updated with the new scoring and bonus points.

Ashley wrote: "Hi Team! Your spreadsheet has been updated with the new scoring and bonus points."

Thank you Ashley!!

Hey team! I see Geri has the book New Year's Eve Murder on her list. I am wondering if you all would like to do that as a team read?

I haven’t read this author yet and it’s #12 book of a series. I usually start with the first book before I decide if I can pick any book in that series.

Melissa wrote: "Hey team! I see Geri has the book New Year's Eve Murder on her list. I am wondering if you all would like to do that as a team read?"

I checked the book and unfortunately the book ends on New Year’s Eve. 😕 So I changed the book for the task this morning to .

If anyone wants to buddy read any book let me know. Mine or one of yours you think we might want to read together. I’m up for it! We don’t have to all read it, we get bonus points for buddy reading too.

I looked quickly through the books on our SS. I’ve read a few of your books already, Alyana. I really liked The Turn of the Key.

Most I don’t know. But I am interested in Natalie Tan's Book of Luck & Fortune. It looks like my kind of read, Melissa. Do you want to buddy read that one? I can switch my book to that one.

For the New Year's task I'm reading .

Alyana wrote: "I haven’t read this author yet and it’s #12 book of a series. I usually start with the first book before I decide if I can pick any book in that series."

I'm sort of like this too, I prefer starting with the first book and seeing how it goes.

Kari wrote: "@Karen, happy belated bday!"

Thanks, Melissa and Kari

Geri wrote: "Melissa wrote: "Hey team! I see Geri has the book New Year's Eve Murder on her list. I am wondering if you all would like to do that as a team read?"

I checked the book and unfortuna..."

I thought I’d put this one down for New Year’s Day. It’s nice and short. Lol

I listened to same time next year last year 😅

Just a thought, maybe if we compare our tbr shelves we can find something in common? That could help decide for our team read?

That sounds like a good idea, Alyana

Books in common

Kari, Karen, and I -
Geri and I - books mostly to be published in 2025 and
Melissa and I -

Karen ♐ wrote: "Geri wrote: "Melissa wrote: "Hey team! I see Geri has the book New Year's Eve Murder on her list. I am wondering if you all would like to do that as a team read?"

I checked the book ..."

Do you want to buddy read this?

Alyana - If we can make The Hitchcock Hotel work for a task, let’s definitely buddy read it.

Sounds good!

Geri wrote: "Karen ♐ wrote: "Geri wrote: "Melissa wrote: "Hey team! I see Geri has the book New Year's Eve Murder on her list. I am wondering if you all would like to do that as a team read?"

I c..."

Definitely!

Great! I’ll request a thread later. I’m out and about right now. I’ll post the link when I have it.

Karen - The buddy read request thread for 2025 isn’t open yet. I’ll check again later and post our request when I can.

Geri wrote: "Karen - The buddy read request thread for 2025 isn’t open yet. I’ll check again later and post our request when I can."

Great. No hurry, Geri.