As part of our anniversary year, I’m pleased to announce that our first ever Book Bingo Reading Challenge has officially begun! Select five squares across, down, diagonally, or 5-up (four corners + center square), and get an entry into a drawing for some cool prizes including autographed books and CBR merch. Complete the entire card – a blackout! – and get 15 entries into our drawing. Download your game card below, and post your reviews tagged with cbr10bingo for chances in our prize raffle. You can also boast or ask questions in the November check-in post. (See also: October check-in post and September check-in post.)
Final results from CBR10 Book Bingo Reading Challenge can be found on our wrap-up post.
The Official CBR10 Book Bingo Reading Challenge Card
The Squares
- AlabamaPink – Review a book that our Warrior Queen read in the first Cannonball Read.
- #CannonBookClub – Review the November Book Club book, Craig Ferguson’s Between the Bridge and the River. (FYI: discussion is 11/2-3)
- So Popular! – Choose one of these top 10 most-reviewed books from Cannonball Read history:
- Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
- Bossypants by Tina Fey
- Divergent by Veronica Roth
- Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell
- The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
- The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
- Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
- The Martian by Andy Weir
- Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
- Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
- Two Heads Are Better Than One – Do a partner review: review a book with a friend or with a child/teen*.
- The Book Was Better? – Review a book that was adapted into a movie or TV show that you have watched.
- And So it Begins – Review the first book in a series.
- This is the End – Review the last book of a series.
- Throwback Thursday – Review an old favorite you haven’t read in a while.
- Not in My Wheelhouse – Review a book in a genre you don’t typically read.
- Award Winner – Review a book that won a major literary or genre specific prize, such as Nobel, Pulitzer, Man Booker, Edgar, RITA, Hugo, etc.
- Snubbed! – Review a book that was a runner-up for a major literary or genre specific prize, such as Nobel, Pulitzer, Man Booker, Edgar, RITA, Hugo, etc.
- Home, Something, Home – Review a book written by an author from your home country or state.
- Brain Candy – Review a book you read for its escapism value.
- Delicious! – Review a book about food (cookbook, chef memoir, etc), where food is described (ex. The Inspector Gamache series), or with food in the title.
- White Whale – Review that book you keep meaning to read but haven’t until now.
- Underrepresented – Review a book by an author from an underrepresented group
- Listicles – People love making lists. Review a book from a list.
- So Shiny! – Review a newly published book, published in 2018.
- This Old Thing – Review a book that was published at least 100 years ago, 1918 or earlier.
- Fahrenheit 451 – Review a banned or challenged book.
- Dream Vacation – Review a book set in a place or time you would like to visit.
- Cannonballer Says! – Review a book you chose because you liked another Cannonballer’s review, or it was recommended by a Cannonballer. (Don’t forget to say who!)
- Cover Art – Review a book you picked for the cover.
- Backlog – Review a book that has been on your TBR list for over a year (or the longest if you have better TBR management skills).
- Birthday! – Review a book by an author (ex. Louisa May Alcott) with a birthday between August 1 and November 30, or featuring a beloved character (ex. Bilbo Baggins) with a birthday between those dates.
*Review partner does not have to be registered for CBR10.
The Rules
- Bingo begins when the card is posted on Wednesday August 1, 2018 and ends at 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday November 30, 2018.
- Participants must be registered for CBR10**, except for the review partner for the Two Heads Are Better Than One square.
- Only books that have reviews posted during the Bingo time period (see #1) count towards the bingo. You can start CBR10 Bingo at any time during this period.
- Books must have been read during 2018.
- You must tag the review on cannonballread.com with cbr10bingo. https://cannonballread.com/faq/#tagging.
- Follow the bingo card graphic to make your book choices. A book can only count once, one book = one square. If you have trouble finding a book to fulfill a square, please contact me.
- Once a square is crossed off, it’s crossed off for good! (Feel free to print off the bingo card to keep track!)
- In your review, state which square the book fulfilled, either at the top or the bottom of the review. Please make it easy to find!
- Bingo: Complete a horizontal, vertical or diagonal line and receive one entry into our prize drawing raffle. Four corners plus center square counts as a bingo too.
- Blackout Card: Complete all 25 squares and receive 2 additional entries into our prize drawing raffle (for a total of 15 entries).
- The maximum number of entries into the prize drawing is 15.
- Second boards – if you complete a blackout/full card, and want to do another board, the center square is free. However there are no additional entries into the prize drawing raffle, just bragging rights.
- If you choose to do the Two Heads are Better Than One square, your review partner does not have to be registered for CBR10.
- Prize awards will be announced on December 7, 2018.
**If you’d like to register for CBR10 and participate, please contact MsWas.
Prizes
By completing each bingo, you’ll receive one chance into our prize drawing to be held after November 30. Complete all 25 squares and receive 2 additional entries into our prize drawing raffle (for a total of 15 entries). Detailed prize information to follow, but I can say right now that the current list includes autographed books and a CBR tote bag filled with bookish things.
Beach not included.
It begins!
So this might be the year I finally break down and read John Green. Or maybe I can just reread Attachments 😜
I’ve already read and reviewed all the books in the “So Popular” category. I’m going to use this as an opportunity to re-read (and review) Eleanor & Park, the only Rowell I’ve only read once (because I found Eleanor’s home life so distressing). It feels like it’s time.
Given how horribly the series turned out, I definitely have no interest in Divergent. And not sure if I am in the mood for twisty thriller (Girl on the Train), so we’ll see 🤷♀️
Me, too! Ditto.
Oh, and just found this with a quick google search for anyone needing inspiration for author birthdays! http://lookingglassreview.com/books/authors-illustrators/birthdays/
We’ve also got Joan Aiken, Neil Gaiman, Astrid Lindgren, Ursula LeGuin, and many others to choose from!!!
I’ve been looking for a push to read Astrid Lindgren!
I loved her so much as a kid! The Brothers Lionheart and Mio are beautifully heartbreaking, and Ronja (I read it in German, might be off on spelling) was just super fun,
Also, I have audiobooks downloaded already from two of those authors so score!!!
In all the bingo bustle, I missed that there should be one more in the list of most reviewed books: Station Eleven! It was the first #CannonBookClub we held over here: https://cannonballread.com/2015/03/station-eleven-cbr-book-club-discussion/
I’ve added it in, so put one more on your list of possibilities for “So Popular”!
So it’s August 1st and I still haven’t posted a single review. Maaaaaybe this will be the push I need?!
I mean, it’s not like you’ve been busy or anything.
Well, I did have a WHOLE DAY OFF (*with no children*) on Saturday. I could have written some reviews then. Except I didn’t. I laid around and slept until 9am and watched a movie. In bed. In the afternoon. It was awesome.
But I did just download a Nora Roberts last night. And I already have…thoughts. And they aren’t positive. This one I might have to review.
That sounds divine – the lying around bit.
This is so exciting! Sadly, very few of the books in my review backlog from July really fit into the categories (but some do), but I’ve already started my list to plan which books to do in each of the categories.
Now I just need to figure out a book my husband and I can review together (he’s been saying he wants to guest review on my blog for ages).
That would be great!
Page 2 of the PDF should be the category descriptions so you can print em on the back and have it for easy reference.
Good point
Great idea – thanks! I’ve done that so the PDF should now have 2 pages, with the board and the square descriptions.
Can a book count for more than one square? For example, a book that came out in 2018 that is the last of the series, does that count for “So Shiny” and “This is the End” or just one?
Hi crystalclear, one book = one square only. I’ll clarify that in the rules. Thanks for asking though!
2 questions:
Can three people review for “Two Heads are better than 1”?
And can 1 book count for multiple squares, or each square is its own book?
Can’t wait to start this!
If two heads are better, then three heads are best! Sure you can do a group review.
But one book only counts for one square. I’ve updated Rule #6 above to reflect that.
Woot! Thank you 🙂
*evil cackle*
You’ve done it now, world. Prepare for an Ale/crystalclear/faintingviolet group review. The book will be terrible, the review will be grand!
I’d really like to thank Cannonball read for making this contest so it looks like I saved half my July reviews for the contest not because I am just So. Very. Behind.
I think I will have to force badkittyuno to come back for a joint review…
Ha! Many of us need a nudge to get back to reviewing.
I’ve been trying to be so on it this year, now two books I put up right before Bingo was announced would easily fit multiple squares.
D’oh. Oh well, that just means I need to read more books.
I don’t know if this makes you feel better but your Yiddish for Pirates is probably going to be my “Cannonballer Says” review!
Yay! I hope you like it, I really did.
It was very satisfying finding a book that I’ve already read and not reviewed, or will be reviewing, for each of these categories. It’s like combining my love of lists and planning with reading and competitiveness. BEST.
I can’t wait to see what books everyone is using.
This just made my heart happy.
😀
I posted my plan so far on Instagram.
I don’t think I follow you on Instagram. I’ll have to find you!
One of my favourite part of any reading challenge is the list I get to make to plan my reading. I have had so much fun this afternoon thinking ahead and planning.
And now the fun planning is over and we have to do! Oy. Some of the books I’ve picked are . . . ambitious.
And I’m one square in already! One down, 24 to go!
I love that the first entry is about endings.
Yaaay! I’m excited to try and tackle at least one row of this (the fifth column I could probably do twice over given all the different books I have on my to-read list right now which fill those 5 particular squares up nicely), but with the right planning, maaaaaaaybe I can hit up a few more… time will tell!
This may be a dumb question. For Subbed, you mean runner up as in nominated but not won, so if the sticker on the cover says “Nominated for the Niftiest Book of the Year by Discerning Golden Retrievers” as opposed to “Winner of the Seal of Greatness for Books Written by Goldfish,” correct?
Yes. Nominated, even short listed, but not the actual award winner.
Thanks!
Also, I would probably read the niftiest book of the year nominated by discerning golden retrievers. I’m sure it would be a heckin good book.
This year was quite a tangle. ‘BALL!’ ultimately fetched the the title. It really had to fight, though because ‘Can I Eat That?’, ‘Mystery at the Dog Park’, and ‘No Really, Can I Eat That?’ were all very well received.
We look forward to the author’s forthcoming books, I’m Going to Eat That Anyway and Healing the Rumbly Tummy on a Light Colored Carpet.
Nurtz! Only one I’m interested in, in the So Popular! is Ready Player One! But read it ages ago! Maybe a reread is in order…. (heehee) Or maybe I’ll have to do Eleanor & Park …..but that’s been on my “I have wanted to read for awhile too…..”
I am absolutely looking forward to this! I have been horribly behind in my reviews – I can’t seem to put my thoughts into words, but I have read a few books since my last review that *might* qualify for some of the categories. Plus this means I have lists of other readers to look at, to select one and I can finally read a proper sci-fi book for the “not my wheelhouse” genre. EEK, I get to read new stuff and I can make notes, I LOVE this challenge!
Yay! If you are looking for a SciFi recommendation, many of us are loving Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries. It’s a series of 4 novellas, the first two have been published – All Systems Red and Artificial Condition. Murderbot just wants to be left alone to watch their shows! The novellas are short, immensely engaging, and most definitely science fiction.
I really liked Remnant Population, too, for sci-fi. The Murderbot books are great, so you can’t go wrong there, but Remnant Population has a very different feel, more cozy in a way? So this way, you have choices for any mood.
I haven’t heard of Remnant Population! I’ll have to add that to my list.
I reviewed it a month or two ago, but I think it’s from the ‘90s?
I’m making a list of this, sounds very good – cosy might be the way to begin this genre. Emmalita, I’ve added the Murderbot books to my list, thank you!
I see that it’s one book = one square, but is it also one review = one square? Or can you review a series in a single swoop and count it for beginning and end?
The CBR FAQ says –
Yes, you may review several books within a single group blog post. This may make sense for series or related books. Minimum words per book in a multi-book review is 150. Make sure to list the book title and author title for all books in the body of your post. Enter the correct quantity of books in the Quantity field. https://cannonballread.com/faq/#bookseries
Reviewing a series in one post would be fine.
Yay! I’ve needed a kick to get back in the game. 2 reviews down, 50 more to go! I’ve just made the Trello board to end all Trello boards…
I have a question regarding the category ‘Fahrenheit 451’, if someone would like to help me out?
Does this category strictly refer to bans due to people being censorious bastards, or can it refer to books that have been banned for other reasons – such as those that occur in a specific jurisdiction to prevent risk of serious prejudice in a trial?
If it has been banned or challenged for any reason, it would fit the category.
Fantastic, thanks!
I’m unclear about the difference between White Whale and Backlog.
Backlog is a book that is definitely on your to be read list/pile – a book you really want to read but haven’t gotten to yet. White Whale is like Moby Dick, that book that you feel like you should read for cultural, professional, or personal reasons, but you haven’t. It’s a pretty fine distinction. We are still learning this whole bingo thing.
Yeah, Backlog, I’m using a book I’ve had for a while and just haven’t gotten around to, while White Whale is going to be a book I’ve been either avoiding or even tried to read and couldn’t get past the first few chapters.
For “White Whale” I used a Sarah Dessen book that I’ve seen mentioned and recommended for so many years, on so many blogs and “you should read” lists, and that I as a frequent reader of YA books have felt almost guilty for never picking up.
For “Backlog”, I just picked one of the literally hundreds of books I have had on my TBR list for a very long time. That is how I interpreted the described categories.
Me too actually…
I replied to this before seeing your response emmalita
For This is the End can it be the current last book in a series of 3 or more books?
It should be the last expected book in a series.
Crazy question (and if it’s been asked, sorry!) do you have to try a recipe in the cook book or can you just drool over the recipes? (heehee)
Whatever works best for you.
Thanks! Unless it’s a gourmet PB&J I’m outta luck! (ha!)
Is anyone outside the US finding it really hard to find a copy of the Craig Ferguson book for the center square? I’ve tried the libraries, I’ve tried Amazon.co.uk, I’ve tried the Indie bookstore website. Amazon.com has used versions but with it being shipped from the US it could take weeks or months. And I don’t have access to an e-reader at the moment. Any thoughts / suggestions on this one? Thanks!
My American BFF has very generously given me access to her library profile in New York, so I’m going to be able to borrow the e-book thanks to her kindness. It’s helped me with non-fiction CBR Book Club books in the past, as well. I realise that not everyone has this option, however.
Curious, I checked Amazon.ES and it’s the same deal – hard copies are all shipped from the US. And not through Amazon directly either, but through a third party seller.
I also couldn’t find it on book depository or the publisher’s website directly, so I’m not sure where else to check, I’m afraid.
Thank you for letting us know about this! We were definitely not aware of availability issues with the Craig Ferguson book for international readers. We will figure something out and let everyone know ASAP.
Thank you!!
Update: I ended up reviving my Audible account for this one. Figure I can enjoy him reading it himself. Thanks again for looking into it!
Question: for the ‘Home, Something, Home’ category, does it have to be the state where I grew up (I really don’t fancy reading Irving and he’s basically the only one from NH) or can it be the country I live in now if that country is home for the next 2+ years?
Home is a pretty amorphous concept. I would prefer that American Cannonballers not use any old American author. New England is a distinct region if you want to explore beyond New Hampshire. But it would also be fine for you to explore your new home through an author.
I agree–it would defeat the point of the square if I chose an author from California or something! I might do ‘New England’ more broadly as you suggest or try a Danish author, as I’d like to get to know some of the literature of my new home better. Thanks!