Bookish March Madness Challenge
It’s that time again! Once again The Reader’s Room will be hosting our own version of a bookish March Madness, slated to begin with the start of the NCAA tournament (March 15th). Reading won’t start until March 15 and full instructions won’t be posted until March 1. However, this challenge requires us to do some preparation so it would be very helpful to us to get people signed up early. We hope you join us for this challenge!
Here’s an overview of what you will need to do in the next few weeks:
- Let us know if you want to participate. Simply post a reply to this email saying you want to play. This doesn’t commit you to anything but will help us get a sense of general numbers. You can sign up later too, but those who sign up early will have a chance to impact which books make the official cut.
- Submit one 2017-2018 book nomination that you think stands a good chance of beating other books (either because others have rated them highly or because you think others will want to read those books). Books be published in the last year to qualify (2017 to current day). Books can be of any genre. Think strategically.
- Submit title by 2/20/18. You can post them as replies here or email Jen thereadersroomblog[at]gmail[dot]com so no one else steals your ideas.
In the near future:
- We (Book Worm and I) will create a final list consisting of 68 books.
- People (participants, readers of the blog, and other readers) will get a chance to vote on books.
- Participants will then get to create and submit their own personal brackets with books they think will win.
- Books will be ranked (using a secret formula) and matched with one of the NCAA men’s basketball teams.
- To get points, you need to read and review WINNING books. This challenge is NOT about who can read the fastest or who can read the greatest number of books. It’s about strategy and luck. The winner could conceivably be a person who reads only 1 or 2 books.
- Scoring will approximate the way points are calculated for NCAA brackets (1 point for round 1 winners, 2, for round two, etc.) Full instructions and details on scoring will be posted before you are required to pick your brackets (likely early March).
One grand prize winner will be selected to win awesome bookish prizes (worth $100-$150)!
*NOTE: If you are a non-US reader and are unfamiliar with march madness tournaments, you can read more about what that is, here. It may sound complicated but it should be easy to figure out.
jenp27
Nicole Del Sesto
The Reader's Room 
Sounds great- I will play
LikeLiked by 1 person
Make sure you submit your hook nomination today!
LikeLike
This is always fun. I’ll play.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m in! It was such fun last year. And I would like to nominate Idaho by Emily Ruskovich
LikeLiked by 1 person
Another good one. We’ve gotten some good nominations already!
LikeLike
I’m in!! Last year was so fun! And I’d like to nominate An American Marriage by Tayari Jobes
LikeLiked by 1 person
This sounds fun! I am in
LikeLiked by 1 person
make sure you send me your book nomination!
LikeLike
I am definitely in! Can’t wait. I need to think about my nomination. Are we only allowed one?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, only one for now so that everyone joining can have a book nomination. If we have open spots for second nominations, I will let everyone know but it’s unlikely
LikeLike
I’m in! I’d like to nominate the Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’ve decided to go with Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll say yes. I nominate Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’d love to participate! And I nominated Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yay excited for this! I nominate The Book of Joan
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yay! I want to read that one 😊
LikeLike
I’ll play.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Let us know what book you want to nominate
LikeLike
Sounds fun! I’ll nominate The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great choice!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ll play again! I nominate Beartown by Fredrik Backman. I started it but haven’t finished it yet, and I know it’ll be good!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great!
LikeLike
I’d like to play. I nominate Force of Nature by Jane Harper
Raine
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great!
LikeLike
I’d like to play, it sounds fun!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Send me your book nomination if you haven’t already
LikeLike
I’m in again this year!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Since you said there are about 10 spots for book nominations yet, let me add these to change the tone of the books a little, to have a few choices that are less “literary”. (I’m hoping they make the cut. :)) They’re from NPR’s best books of 2017:
Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly (winner of the Newbery! and a Filipina!)
Felix XY by Lisa Bunker (because it sounded interesting)
Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz (I love a good mystery and this sounds like one)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I have less literary nominations on Litsy. For now I’m only allowing one book nomination per person but if I have more spots, I’ll let you know.
LikeLike
But you should make the case for these on goodreads and see if someone will join by nominating these options. If I end up with a few spots, I’ll let you know.
LikeLike
I think I’ll join, too. I’d like to nominate Hunger by Roxane Gay. If you already have that one nominated, then I’ll go with American Wolf by Nate Blakeslee.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nope, surprisingly ginger has not been nominated.
LikeLike
I’m in! I nominate The Only Story by Julian Barnes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert. I want to play
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m in – Nomination Celine – Peter Heller
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m in and nominate Exit West , Moshin Amid
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m late to the game, but I’ll play. Maybe this year I’ll actually get a book read.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good luck!
LikeLike
I submitted a book but likely won’t play. However, if you are doing this in 40 years when I retire, then I am TOTALLY IN!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Also, I filled out the voting survey and managed to add several books to my TBR! lol
LikeLiked by 1 person