Hooked on Books discussion
2026: Time Traveler's Challenge
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The Vortex Voyagers
Mod
Earn bonus years to accelerate your team's progress through the timeline! There are 8 possible bonuses per book (max), across several categories.
📅 Monthly Theme Bonuses (2 per month)
• Each month will have 2 Main Page Genre (MPG).
• Complete a task with a book from the monthly bonus genres to earn the bonus.
• These change monthly — check the HOMEBASE thread or your Team SS!
🗺️ Geographic & Temporal Collection Bonuses
• Unique Country Bonus: Earn a bonus for each new country (book setting ONLY) your TEAM reads from.
• Unique Publication Year Bonus: Earn a bonus for each new publication year your TEAM reads.
• Important: Uniqueness is tracked per team, not individually. Coordinate with your crew to maximize collection!
🌍 Diversity Reading Bonus
• Earn a bonus for reading a book by an author from an underrepresented group. (Updated from Book Quest: this is now author-related only, not based on genre or content.)
Underrepresented groups include: BIPOC authors, LGBTQ+ authors, authors with disabilities, neurodivergent authors, authors from marginalized religious groups, authors from developing nations, and indigenous authors.⭐ Personal Badges
• Each month features unique personal badge challenges.
• These will be revealed when monthly tasks are posted.
🏺 Team Artifacts (Collective Bonuses)
These require entire team participation!
Team Read 📚
All team members read the same book and participate in an approved Buddy Read discussion thread.
Thematic Treasure Hunt 🔍
Your team finds books from your individual reading that share a common theme, motif, or symbol (like "fire," "moon," "rebirth," "keys," "mirrors"). Submit a combined "catalog" with quotes/examples showing the connection in your thread.
📝 Bonus Submission Notes:
• Claim bonuses on your team spreadsheet.
• For Diversity Bonus: Select the author's identity from the dropdown when claiming.
• For Unique Country/Year: Your team tracker will show your growing collection via a map.
• Team Artifacts require special submission in the thread!
Remember: Each bonus earned = +2 years on your timeline! Strategic bonus hunting can accelerate your journey dramatically. ⏱️✨
🌀 TEMPORAL ANOMALIES (Special Limited-Time Bonus)
• Watch for surprise bonus tasks with specific time-limited windows.
• A fun way to earn a quick burst of years — stay alert!
Mod
Era: Prehistoric Times
Welcome, adventurers. Dust off your cave tools, shake the mammoth hair off your reading chair, and let’s kick off this challenge properly.
We’re starting at the very beginning — before calendars, before written stories, before Goodreads existed to judge our choices.
January drops us straight into Prehistoric Times, where your priorities are simple: don’t die, find fire, and read good books.
Grab a chair and lock in — this first one will be a long one (just like the era itself).
🦣 Main Tasks
Here’s what you’ll be tackling this January — each task ties directly to the raw, dangerous, no-internet reality of early humanity.
1. Read a book with a BROWN cover.
Brown = earth tones, hide, dirt, stone… basically the entire prehistoric aesthetic.
2. Read a book with the word "Prehistoric" or "Times" (no variation) in the Title or Text.
A direct line to the era — we’re anchoring the month with something explicitly referencing it.
3. Read a book that features a large, awe-inspiring animal or creature central to the story.
Mammoths, saber-toothed cats, giant birds — the world back then was full of creatures that could kill you or feed you, sometimes both.
4. Read a book featuring a natural disaster.
Before modern tech or infrastructure, nature was the ultimate threat. Storms, quakes, floods, eruptions — take your pick.
5. Read a book where survival against nature drives the entire story.
This era was literally one long "man vs. nature" arc. No cushions, no conveniences, just grit.
6. Read a book that uses vivid imagery to bring a harsh, natural environment to life.
Prehistoric landscapes were extreme — burning sun, frozen plains, dense forests. This task dives straight into that atmosphere.
7. Read a book that involves caves, underground worlds, or hidden places.
Caves = shelter, mystery, art, danger. They’re one of the most iconic parts of prehistoric living and storytelling.
8. Read a book where fire is featured heavily.
Fire was the game-changing technology of the era: warmth, safety, cooking, community. If fire matters in the story, it fits here.
9. Read a book related to "animism" or reverence for natural elements.
Early spiritual belief systems were rooted in the sun, moon, animals, rivers — nature itself as sacred. This taps directly into that worldview.
10. Read a book where a character invents, discovers, or learns something that changes their way of life.
Prehistoric times were one long innovation runway: tools, hunting strategies, language, fire, art. A discovery that transforms life is right on theme.
📅 Monthly Theme Bonuses (MPG)
For January, the two MPG bonus genres are:
🏕️ Adventure
🧭 Survival
Read any January task in one of these genres for an extra bonus.
🏅 Personal Era Badges
To earn these bonuses, you'll need to personally accomplish one of the following "tasks". This means that whatever book you are trying to gain the bonus for, should not only fit a regular monthly task, but also be related to the badge.
🔥 Firestarter
A book that sparks a group discussion — controversial, emotional, divisive, or just plain chaotic.
🎨 Cave Painter
Create or share something visual inspired by your book: moodboard, sketch, collage, digital art, cave scratchings… whatever your medium, show it off.
🪶 Hunter-Gatherer
A book someone on your team has already finished. Yes, you’re “gathering” from others’ finds. Yes, that’s the point.
📜 Recommendation List Pick
This will be an ongoing badge for the entire challenge, so here's a little info to start you off.
Every participant may submit up to 12 recommended books by the end of January. After that, the list locks for the rest of the challenge. You can read anyone else’s rec (not your own!) for a bonus.
How to submit your list: Post your list in your team thread and tag/link here. I’ll add it to the Index.
Team Artifacts (Permanent Collective Bonuses)
These require team-wide participation every time you attempt them:
Team Read
Everyone reads the same book + joins the buddy-read discussion thread.
Thematic Treasure Hunt
As a team, compile a mini-catalog of shared themes/motifs found across your individual reads: fire, moons, wings, mirrors, rebirth, keys — whatever pops up. Include quotes or receipts.
How to submit your list: Post your "catalog" in your team thread and tag/link here.
🌍 Geographic & Temporal Collection Bonuses
New this year! Your team earns bonuses for:
• Unique Country Settings
• Unique Publication Years
These are team-level, not individual — coordinate, so you’re not all reading 2022 USA books and screaming later because you can only claim one bonus.
🌈 Diversity Author Bonus
Back from last year! Earn a bonus for reading a book by an author from an underrepresented group. This is author identity only (not content-based), and includes:
BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled, neurodivergent, marginalized religious groups, developing nations, Indigenous authors.
🌀 Temporal Anomaly Bonus (Jan 1–31 Only!)
Start the year easy:
Read a book with a BLACK cover.
Bonus Genres (unchanging all year):
• Speculative
• Epistolary
(Tag 5+ counts — doesn’t need to be MPG.)
🏅 Personal Temporal Anomalties Badges (unchanging all year):
Perspective Shift 🔄 – Highlight a moment in your book where the narrator or POV tricks you, surprises you, or changes your understanding.
Causal Loop 🔁 – A book you discovered because of another member's post or discussion in the challenge.
Time Dilatation ⌛ – Get completely lost in a book, reading for so long you lose track of time.
Recommendation List Pick 📜 – See above!
If you have questions, put them in the Q&A thread (to keep this thread semi-tidy for New Sign Ups and Challenge Updates!
So sharpen your flint, gather your kindling, and let’s light this challenge on fire. Happy January, Travelers!
Bonus Genres (unchanging all year):• Speculative
• Epistolary
I dont even know what the 2nd word means 😄
epistolary is one of my favorite genres (when it's good)--it means books through other forms of written communication. Usually letters, but also text, journals, diaries, newspaper articles, etc. Ashley, do our epistolary books need to 100%? Or just majority?
Also, I love this challenge!!! These are super fun categories this month and I'm excited for the yearlong options.
Mod
I read the tasks and they seem easy enough but i got abit confused with all the extras / bonuses ...Thats a shame about you party , youll have to have a drink at home instead
MN Lisa wrote: "I haven't even really looked at it. :) I just saw they were out. I'll spend some time tonight since we are skipping our Christmas party due to weather."Oh no! I've been looking for adventure and coming up with very little
Mod
..."
Just a tag x5!
Mod
It might help to look at the spreadsheet for understanding the bonuses! But if you have questions - fire away, I will help!
Ashley wrote: "Kirsten wrote: "epistolary is one of my favorite genres (when it's good)--it means books through other forms of written communication. Usually letters, but also text, journals, diaries, newspaper a..."Is that the same for adventure, Ashely? I have a bunch of books on my tbr that have 5+ adventure tags, but v v few mpg
and thanks for your fast responses
Mod
No! Only for the Temp Anomalies! The Eras must be MPG.
Ashley wrote: "Kirsten wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Kirsten wrote: "epistolary is one of my favorite genres (when it's good)--it means books through other forms of written communication. Usually letters, but also text,..."😊
I have looked at nothing else but here's some Adventure or Survival MPG on my TBR
(though jackie only rated 3)
(does work for spec as well)
(spec)
(epistolary) this would be a 5 star re-read for me
(spec)
(Corey would literally die if I read this one) 
(spec)
(MM)
(spec)
Ive been wanting to read 'Wild' for ages
Same! Although that author is more hit than miss for me (and I know I'm the odd one out for that)
Bound Gods..started but didnt finish..too darkThe Others Project..started but didnt finish..hadnt a clue what was going on
Morgan & Grant was ok
Loved
My Brothers Keeper
He speaks dead
Janeylou wrote: "Bound Gods..started but didnt finish..too darkThe Others Project..started but didnt finish..hadnt a clue what was going on
Morgan & Grant was ok
Loved
My Brothers Keeper
He speaks dead"
I also loved He Speaks dead and you thinking Morgan & Grant was just okay means we're on the same page
Amanda wrote: "Same! Although that author is more hit than miss for me (and I know I'm the odd one out for that)"I have had Wild on my tbr forever--I'm in.
I'm also considering The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi because it's supposed to be good, The Game of Kings, which I've heard good things about, and Exit Strategy (the 4th murderbot, even though I didn't like the last one) for adventure from my tbr. I'm considering Swordheart because I've had other Kingfishers on my tbr for ages.
I love the song Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, but I can't commit to the book.
I'm thinking about Goal Lines & First Times for the times category--it's a reread for me and not bad.
ETA: The Unlikely Pair, Refuge, Honesty and Artifice are MM survival from my tbr; On the Island and Uncharted are MF and really good and mpg survival.
I'm still trying to get a grip on all the bonuses. Picking books may take a while.
Jackie wrote: "I'm still trying to get a grip on all the bonuses. Picking books may take a while."same for me!
Friends, I’ll get to our buddy reads, but the grading is killing me.
Recommendation List PickThis will be an ongoing badge for the entire challenge, so here's a little info to start you off.
Every participant may submit up to 12 recommended books by the end of January. After that, the list locks for the rest of the challenge. You can read anyone else’s rec (not your own!) for a bonus.
How to submit your list: Post your list in your team thread and tag/link here. I’ll add it to the Index.
Ill have a think what you all may like to read
Same--I promise not too much experimental fiction or MM romance
I’m gonna probably compare shelves and pull on off each of your to read shelves. And then do things I just love for the rest lol
Are we competing against each other if we not competing agaiant other teams ...if not, i dont see.the point of all these bonuses
I think a lot of the bonuses are badge based too so going to look into that since I dont collect those.
Mod
Goal Lines and First Times
MurderBot-Exit Strategy
Wild
Refuge
Not sure if its the holiday hangover or what, but having a hard time figuring out where these would go. LOL.
Mod
If I'm reading something that long, I need to make sure to use it for more than one thing. I don't think it will work for Spell since its not MM Romance. Its tagged Romance and LGBTQ and Spec Fiction (20x).
Per ChatGPT....
✅ Solid Fits
• Read a book featuring a natural disaster
✔️ Yes. Flooding and large-scale environmental disruption are absolutely part of the story. Nature is not behaving politely.
• Read a book where survival against nature drives the entire story
✔️ This one works if you interpret “survival” broadly — not just physical survival, but emotional, supernatural, and existential survival in a world that’s actively unstable.
• Read a book that uses vivid imagery to bring a harsh, natural environment to life
✔️ Kelly Link thrives here. The environments feel heavy, damp, eerie, and alive. The setting is basically a character with opinions.
• Read a book that involves caves, underground worlds, or hidden places
✔️ Yes. Hidden spaces, secret rooms, and liminal “in-between” places are very much a thing.
• Read a book related to animism or reverence for natural elements
✔️ Strong thematic fit. The book treats forces of nature, objects, and spaces as having agency, meaning, and power — very animism-adjacent.
• Read a book where a character invents, discovers, or learns something that changes their way of life
✔️ Absolutely. Multiple characters experience discoveries that fundamentally alter how they understand the world and their place in it.
Ok Girls ..this starts in a few days Are we
Going full out...or
Reading what fits tasks and getting some BRs in at the same time
From what i can tell theres a fair few bonuses that are going to need some organiseation and chatting about
Picking 12 books each for recommendations
Picking a theme for each month
Reading different/individual countries
Reading different /individual years
Etc...
Im ok with taking it easy , but will go with the flow
Will your team be doing a buddy read for
? If so, I’d like to join in…
Mod
I think fairly easy is probably the way I'll go, though I do like to push my comfort a little with this challenge. I'm also good with going with the flow
MN Lisa wrote: "DeeNeez...We probably will. i'll make sure to include you when I request the thread."Thanks! 🙏
Are buddy reads worth a bonus this year? I still want to do them, but I loved getting the bonus as well. That made it so much easier for me to commit to books outside of my usual genres and tropes.@Lisa, I didn't realize that "times" could be in the text, not just the title. I will definitely re-read Goal Lines and First Times with you, but we could put Refuge there instead and get another survival bonus.
We don't have a team read this month, do we?
Mod
I'm not sure about Refuge, but Finding Alexander has times. I need that one for Haunted House with Janine.
Pg 20: multiple times a day.
I'd be in if you do go back to Goal Lines and First Times ( a reread and I loved it). It's also tagged epistolary x7 so would work for that bonus
Mod
I really liked Goal Lines, so I’d love to reread, esp if it’s epistolary. Let’s keep it. Imma look and see if I want to swap out Finding Alexander. I’ve never read any Pandora Pine.
Also, Refuge looks pretty poorly written.
Mod
This is not the series that she's mostly known for. This does not seem to be Paranormal like her more recent series are.
Mod
Also, just for planning purposes (who knew I was a planner right?), i'm on vacation from Jan 28 to Feb 8. I'm gonna try and check in while we are gone, but make no promises. :)
Mod
I put pub year on my books to see how it works but can remove any duplicates.Any ideas for a monthly theme?
Mod
Work In Progress - Lisa, Janine
Finding Alexander - Lisa, Janine, Kirsten
Wild - Lisa, Kirsten, Janine, DeeNeez, Amanda
First and Last Adventure - Lisa, Kirsten
Igniting the Omega - Lisa, Janine
Little Wolf - Lisa, Kirsten
Exit Strategy - Lisa, Kirsten, Jackie
Goal Lines and First Times - Lisa, Kirsten, Amanda
The Blade Itself - Kirsten, Jackie
If Amanda and Janine can fit in Exit Strategy, we can use that as a team read, however, if we can find ways to connect these through various themes, we get the same as a team read.
Hooked on Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Old Time Religion (other topics)The Blade Itself (other topics)
Drop Dead Gorgeous (other topics)
The Blade Itself (other topics)
Drop Dead Gorgeous (other topics)
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Duration: January 2026 to December 2026
Welcome, temporal navigators! This thread is your crew's headquarters for the year-long journey through history. Use this space to coordinate reading plans, share era-specific book recommendations, discuss your adventures through time, and celebrate your progress on both your Personal Timeline and our Shared Timeline!
🚀 Crew Manifest
• Amanda
• Jackie
• Janeylou
• Kirsten
• MN Lisa
🧭 Our Mission
- Personal Timeline: Advance your crew from Prehistoric Times (Year 1) to Timeless Classics (Year 6000) by earning years through reading!
- Shared Timeline: Contribute to our community's collective journey. Every year you earn helps move everyone forward through history.
📜 Earning Years
- Base Years: every 100 pages = ~1 year
- Bonus Years: 2 years per completed bonus
- Monthly Era Champion: Winning crew earns a +30 year boost!
Example: A 280-page book with 4 bonuses earns: ROUND(280*0.01)=3 base years + (4*2)=8 bonus years = 11 Total Years
📊 Crew Log (Spreadsheet)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
🎯 Check-Ins
We'll post monthly reminders and tasks here! And please, post in your team thread at least weekly — Let's support each other to keep our timeline advancing!