Hooked on Books discussion

This is your chance to hit your mods... with your best QUESTIONS, that is. Wait, did you think you were supposed to throw snowballs at us? Where would you get that idea? LOL!

Q: For those who played last year... Will there be a monthly cap this year?
A: No, there are no book caps.

Q: Why is there a red cell by my book in the SS?
A: The mods check each book to make sure all required information, like a target and completion date, is included. If there is missing information, then we will check the box for missing information, and it will turn red.

Q: For the "fight" bonus task, can we use only first names, or can we use last names too?
A: We will accept first, last, or nicknames

Q: If I log a book on the "EnterBooksHere" tab, can I also log it on one of those "other" tabs or is it an either or thing?
A: Ooh, very good question. However, the answer is complicated. Here are the rules:
📕You may only choose ONE item from the Frostbite Arsenal PER WEEK
📕Avalanches are NOT included in the rule above
📕Igloo Shields are the ONLY item that may also be used as a snowball (this requires 2 books to create a shield, so the extra incentive is that you can get hits while you build the shield)
Further clarification on this question..
Most books will go on the "Enter Books Here" Tab. If you enter a book on any of the tabs below, it cannot go into the "Enter Books Here" Tab.
📕Super Snowball
📕Snow Fort Hijinks
📕Frozen Solid
📕Blizzard Mode (only if a mod tells you to - everyone is safe this week... lucky you!)


Q: For the other challenges part, does it have to couny for MY challenge or just A challenge? Like foe the bee challenge for example, I have like 3 prompts left, and have filled others. If I finish a book that fits a task I've already completed, can I use it here? Or will only the two I've yet to fulfill count?
A: If you use a book in one of those challenges, then it counts for the bonus. Keep in mind that you can only use 4 challenges per book. You must actually use the book in that challenge for it to count for the bonus points.

Q: I am participating in a challenge that is not listed in the bonuses. Can I get bonus points for that challenge?
A: You may request to have any challenge in HOB added. I haven't told anyone no so far.

Just so I understand... I see columns for other HOB challenges, but none listed... do we have to request specific challenges to be added? I just want to make sure I do this the right way OR be told to just hang tight a while.

Nope, I will be adding those momentarily. However, you may request challenges to be added at any time.

Donna wrote: "Nope, I will be adding those momentarily. However, you may request challenges to be added at any time."

Awesome, thanks!! ... Sorry, I'm EAGER! I promise I do have some patience! ☺️

LOL! You are allowed to be eager. I forgot that I didn't enter those, so you reminded me.

For the "fight" bonus task, can we use only first names, or can we use last names too?

Amanda wrote: "For the "fight" bonus task, can we use only first names, or can we use last names too?"

We will accept first, last, or nicknames.

Donna wrote: "Amanda wrote: "For the "fight" bonus task, can we use only first names, or can we use last names too?"

We will accept first, last, or nicknames."

Thanks!

Question - If I log a book on the "EnterBooksHere" tab, can I also log it on one of those "other" tabs or is it an either or thing?

danielle wrote: "Question - If I log a book on the "EnterBooksHere" tab, can I also log it on one of those "other" tabs or is it an either or thing?"

Ooh, very good question. However, the answer is complicated. Here are the rules:
📕You may only choose ONE item from the Frostbite Arsenal PER WEEK
📕Avalanches are NOT included in the rule above
📕Igloo Shields are the ONLY item that may also be used as a snowball (this requires 2 books to create a shield, so the extra incentive is that you can get hits while you build the shield)

Donna wrote: "danielle wrote: "Question - If I log a book on the "EnterBooksHere" tab, can I also log it on one of those "other" tabs or is it an either or thing?"

Ooh, very good question. However, the answer i..."

Hmmm. Ok, I need to think on all that.

Also... the SS only has player 1/2 for the name & person on those other tabs. But... I'm thinking it's too soon for me to use it anyway. I need to think more first. 😉

danielle wrote: "Donna wrote: "danielle wrote: "Question - If I log a book on the "EnterBooksHere" tab, can I also log it on one of those "other" tabs or is it an either or thing?"

Ooh, very good question. However..."

Thank you. I was waiting to change that once we had the teams sorted. It is now changed. You should see the list of players in there now.

Donna wrote: "danielle wrote: "Donna wrote: "danielle wrote: "Question - If I log a book on the "EnterBooksHere" tab, can I also log it on one of those "other" tabs or is it an either or thing?"

Ooh, very good ..."

Thanks!

For the other challenges part, does it have to couny for MY challenge or just A challenge? Like foe the bee challenge for example, I have like 3 prompts left, and have filled others. If I finish a book that fits a task I've already completed, can I use it here? Or will only the two I've yet to fulfill count?

Thanks so much for the hard work on this. It's going to be super fun.

Sarah wrote: "For the other challenges part, does it have to couny for MY challenge or just A challenge? Like foe the bee challenge for example, I have like 3 prompts left, and have filled others. If I finish a ..."

If you use a book in one of those challenges, then it counts for the bonus. Keep in mind that you can only use 4 challenges per book. You must actually use the book in that challenge for it to count for the bonus points. If there is a challenge that is not listed that you are participating in, you may ask that it be added. I don't think that I have ever told anyone no... at least so far.

There are a couple challenges I'm in that I don't see on the spreadsheet. Could these be listed, please?

1. Sinister Toys (going forward, working as non-competitive)
2. Summer Spellout
3. A to Z Challenge (led by Ashley)
4. I Like Big Books

Most of the other ones on the SS I've either already finished or never signed up for and now it's too late.

I'm guessing the marathons (ex: Mystery Marathon) don't count as they aren't really challenges.

Thanks for considering!

Wow, some big changes, specifically with regards to messaging, coming in the next few weeks from the GR team:

"Hello Goodreads Member,
In the coming weeks, we will be making some updates to how messaging works on Goodreads.

What's Changing?
• Direct messages between individual members will no longer be available
• Images and external links will no longer be supported in messages

While direct messages between individual members are no longer available, you can still access your past messages from your inbox, Group moderators can still send broadcast messages to their group members, and you can still send group invitations to your Goodreads friends. All other public interactions, such as writing and responding to book reviews, remains unchanged.

-The Goodreads Team"


* * * * *with the changes, how will newsletters and challenges (links to google sheets) be affected? Like SF links to spreadsheets, and the loss of images will be significant...and with no specific effective date shared, what's the best option going forward? * * * * *

Beth wrote: "There are a couple challenges I'm in that I don't see on the spreadsheet. Could these be listed, please?

1. Sinister Toys (going forward, working as non-competitive)
2. Summer Spellout
3. A to Z C..."

Sinister Toys is a roundup challenge. Put it under Roundup. I will add the others.

Donna wrote: "danielle wrote: "Question - If I log a book on the "EnterBooksHere" tab, can I also log it on one of those "other" tabs or is it an either or thing?"

Ooh, very good question. However, the answer i..."

I'm still not clear on this. If I'm understanding then ONLY books added for Igloo Shields can also be added as snowballs (Enter books here).

Or am I just overcomplicating things and ALL books go on the "enter books here" tab?

danielle wrote: "Donna wrote: "danielle wrote: "Question - If I log a book on the "EnterBooksHere" tab, can I also log it on one of those "other" tabs or is it an either or thing?"

Ooh, very good question. However..."

Most books will go on the "Enter Books Here" Tab. If you enter a book on any of the tabs below, it cannot go into the "Enter Books Here" Tab.

📕Super Snowball
📕Snow Fort Hijinks
📕Frozen Solid
📕Blizzard Mode (only if a mod tells you to - everyone is safe this week... lucky you!)

Donna wrote: "danielle wrote: "Donna wrote: "danielle wrote: "Question - If I log a book on the "EnterBooksHere" tab, can I also log it on one of those "other" tabs or is it an either or thing?"

Ooh, very good ..."

Thank you, that clears it up for me!

Perfect! Glad I could help.

Audiophile Archives wrote: "Wow, some big changes, specifically with regards to messaging, coming in the next few weeks from the GR team:

"Hello Goodreads Member,
In the coming weeks, we will be making some updates to how me..."

We opened up a group discussion on this. I hope you will ALL share your thoughts with us.

Donna, I found another one I'm in: 26 Marathon Challenge. Thank you!

Beth wrote: "Donna, I found another one I'm in: 26 Marathon Challenge. Thank you!"

I added a Marathon category for all marathons.

Thank you!

For the Buddy Read bonus options, how does that work? Does it have to be a buddy read with people from my team? Or is it any buddy read in HOB?

Shandra wrote: "For the Buddy Read bonus options, how does that work? Does it have to be a buddy read with people from my team? Or is it any buddy read in HOB?"

It is just a buddy read within HOB. I can be a formal or informal buddy read and you can read it with anyone. It doesn't have to be anyone on your team.

To further expand on that... Formal buddy read is a buddy read led by a HOB mod. Our mod, who is currently running the Buddy Reads, is Ashley.

Sorry, Donna!! I thought that question was in our team thread.

You’re forgiven this time… lol

Not sure where to post this. I'm a hot mess!

Team 2 would like our name to be The Frost Bites, please.

Do new players start adding books from today, or do we add the ones read since the start of the challenge?

Sammy wrote: "Do new players start adding books from today, or do we add the ones read since the start of the challenge?"

Since the challenge just began, you can add all the books you have finished from the 1st of December in your time zone 😊

Awesome, thanks.

It hasn't started yet, but starting in January, there is this challenge - 2026: Time Traveler’s Challenge. Does that one fall under one of the categories already listed? (Just planning ahead!)

Nope, but it will be added.

Special request... any chance we can get the 1st column frozen to make it easier to read a row as we scroll over? If not, no biggie, I'll deal.

danielle wrote: "Special request... any chance we can get the 1st column frozen to make it easier to read a row as we scroll over? If not, no biggie, I'll deal."

Done

trying to wrap my head around the arsenal... Is it just one book you post in your section of choice to upgrade for the week (and that one not in the main page), or do we post all books there we want to upgrade?

Sammy wrote: "trying to wrap my head around the arsenal... Is it just one book you post in your section of choice to upgrade for the week (and that one not in the main page), or do we post all books there we wan..."

Are you talking about the Super Snowball?

Yes. Also Igloo. Is it 2 books for one shield, and then keep adding groups of 2 to get more shields?

For the Super Snowball... You read one book that fits the task required. You post it in the Super Snowball tab only. All other books for the week go into the "Enter Books Here" tab. This will activate the Super Snowball wheel. Every time we spin the wheel for you, we will spin the Super Snowball wheel instead. This wheel has more hits, giving you a much higher chance of getting a hit than you would get with the regular wheel.

That makes sense, thank you!

Donna wrote: "For the Super Snowball... You read one book that fits the task required. You post it in the Super Snowball tab only. All other books for the week go into the "Enter Books Here" tab. This will activ..."

Do we decide which arsenal gets used... or is it determined by which tabs we fill out? In other words, if I have books on more than one tab - so my example would be the igloo and one of the others, does a mod or wheel figure it out... or do I need to decide for that week. So, maybe hold off posting the book I have for the other tab until I want to use it?

Sammy wrote: "Yes. Also Igloo. Is it 2 books for one shield, and then keep adding groups of 2 to get more shields?"

Technically, you need 3 points to create a shield. You have 2 different tasks to create those 3 points. One task is worth 2 points, and one is worth 1 point.

Awesome, thanks Donna!

danielle wrote: "Do we decide which arsenal gets used... or is it determined by which tabs we fill out? In other words, if I have books on more than one tab - so my example would be the igloo and one of the others, does a mod or wheel figure it out... or do I need to decide for that week. So, maybe hold off posting the book I have for the other tab until I want to use it?"

You need to decide before filling out a tab for the week. We will be updating on Saturdays. Make sure you have a decision made by then. All decisions are final then.

Are we allowed to bank bonuses? For eg: If I finish a super snowball and a Frozen solid book in the same week, am I allowed to bank one for future use?

danielle wrote: "Do we decide which arsenal gets used... or is it determined by which tabs we fill out? In other words, if I have books on more than one tab - so my example would be the igloo and one of the others, does a mod or wheel figure it out..."

You are only allowed to use one of the Frostbite Arsenal "superpowers" per week, so you are not allowed to have books that you have read the same week be spread out to different tabs. Each week, you can post only one book in only one of the arsenal tabs, and then you post the rest of the books you read that week in the "enter books here" tab. Only exception is the igloo shield, for that one you can post two books in that tab since you need two books to build up a shield