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A. Introduction

We are all on GR because we love to read. We are all in Pick-a-Shelf because we'd like to read widely and read LOTS so let's go on a Shelf Bender together.

bender
noun [ C ] informal
a period during which a large amount of alcohol is drunk books are read

Official Start date of this challenge is January 1, 2024. Challenge will run up to December 31, 2024.

B. Your Picks

There are 12 Genres of our selection* for which a thread will be set up for each. Please see links to threads in next post.

For each Genre, there is a list of Shelves from which participant is to Pick 3 - 5 Shelves depending on your preference. 3 is the minimum picks and 5 maximum however please keep the same number (of Picked Shelves) for each Genre.

Read a book for each Picked Shelves; that is a total of 3-5 books. Please note which pages these books can be found.

*Selection criteria requires that there is at least 5 or more shelves

C. The Next Picks

Each of the books you read for your Picked Shelves (per Genre) are to be used as starting point for each of below prompts (ie. 1 book cannot be used for more than 1 prompt).

1. Readers also enjoyed: Using one of your books, read from the "Readers also enjoyed" section. On the book page, scroll down until you reach the 'Readers also enjoyed' section as per below image:



2. Similar authors: Using one of your books, read from a similar author. On the author's page, click on the 'similar authors' link for a list of authors.



3. Object on cover: Using one of your books, read another book which cover has a similar specific object*. Object must be obvious so if it's something you're not sure of, that you have to ask someone for their opinion, it does not qualify.
*object
noun
a thing that you can see and touch and that is not alive

4. Best of: Using one of your books, read from a "Best of" list for the year/decade/century that book is published (this will depend on date of publication and availability of list)

5. Wacky Shelf: Using one of your book titles, read from a shelf with a word* in title
www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/[INSERT WORD IN TITLE HERE]
*word cannot be articles, preposition, or connective

D. Completion

There is no limitation on planning and you may complete any Genre in any order you like.

A Genre is completed when you have read a total of 6 (3 Picked Shelves) to 10 (5 Picked Shelves) books

To claim Completion, please post in the Completion thread

E. Monthly Genres

As previously mentioned, in 2024, we will be pausing our Monthly Shelves the way it is currently run. However, we will do a Monthly Genre.

Monthly Genre will be randomly drawn and will be posted around 20th of the previous month. I will be posting the January one early due to the holiday season.

You may read from any of the Shelves as posted in the Genre thread. Continuing with our example of Mystery, you can read a book from "Golden Age Mystery" or "Hard Boiled". It can be any book that you are reading for Your Picks or not, as you'd like.

The aim of this Monthly Genre is to help you along with this Challenge, if you need it. And it will be great to see what others are reading or recommending for the Genres/Shelves.

F. Housekeeping

1. Each book read can only be claimed once throughout the challenge (ie. no crossover between Genres/Shelves)

2. There is no page limit for books read

4. Please post your plan/s in the Genre threads

Please be patient as we have to post slowly due to GR limitation on number of posts

List of Genres

Cultural

Fantasy

Historical

Horror

Humor

Literature

Mystery

Nonfiction

Romance

Science Fiction

Sequential Art

Thriller

EXAMPLE
Genre: Mystery

Your Picks
Reading 5 of *Related* Genres:
Thriller: p9 - The Devotion of Suspect X (Detective Galileo #3) by Keigo Higashino
Crime: p2 - Darkly Dreaming Dexter (Dexter #1) by Jeff Lindsay
Cozy Mystery: p7 - Death by Bubble Tea (LA Night Market #1) by Jennifer J. Chow
Paranormal Mystery: p19 - Book of Night (Book of Night #1) by Holly Black
Hard Boiled: p11 - Birdman (Jack Caffery #1) by Mo Hayder

The Next Pick
1. Readers also enjoyed: Using one of your books, read from the "Readers also enjoyed" section
Book of Night (Book of Night #1) by Holly Black
Readers also enjoyed: The Stardust Thief (The Sandsea Trilogy #1) by Chelsea Abdullah

2. Similar authors: Using one of your books, read from a similar author
Birdman (Jack Caffery #1) by Mo Hayder
Similar authors: Karin Fossum - In the Darkness (Konrad Sejer #1)

3. Item on cover: Using one of your books, read another book which cover has a similar specific item
Death by Bubble Tea (LA Night Market #1) by Jennifer J. Chow
<-chair->
Sir Hereward and Mister Fitz by Garth Nix

4. Best of: Using one of your books, read from a Best off list for the year/decade/century that book is published (this will depend on date of publication and availability of list)
The Devotion of Suspect X (Detective Galileo #3) by Keigo Higashino - published in 2005 so using Best of for 2005: p4 - Worldwired (Jenny Casey #3) by Elizabeth Bear

5. Wacky Shelf: Using one of your book titles, read from a shelf with a word* in title
Darkly Dreaming Dexter (Dexter #1) by Jeff Lindsay - I'm using 'dreaming'
dreaming (p5): Aurora Burning (The Aurora Cycle #2) by Amie Kaufman & Jay Kristoff
*word cannot be articles, preposition, or connective

Q&A

Q: What if we'd like to do more than 5 Shelves for a Genre?
A: You are welcome to do that BUT please finish your first 5 Picks first then you can do extra Shelves after that.

Q: If I'm only reading 3 Picked Shelves, do I have to do all 5 Next Picks?
A: No. You get to choose 3 out of the 5 Prompts for Next Picks

Q: Do the books for The Next Picks have to be found on the same Shelf/Genre?
A: Not at all. Books for The Next Picks do not have to be found on any specific Shelf/Genre.

Q: Do we only read for the Genre within the month it's been randomly drawn?
A: No. You may read any Genres/Shelves at any time. The monthly Genre is only to "help out" if you find any particular Genre hard or if you need a bit of a push sometimes. We all have moments when it's a start and stop with annual challenges so this is to help you get going again in case you need it.

Q: Sooo how many books are we reading in total for this challenge?
A: 3 shelves per genre = 3 shelves x 2 x 12 genres = 72 books
4 shelves per genre = 4 shelves x 2 x 12 genres = 96 books
5 shelves per genre = 5 shelves x 2 x 12 genres = 120 books

Q: What if the book that shows up in the 'Readers also enjoyed' is in the middle of the series?
A: if you haven't read the series, you can read book 1 of that series. Or if you have read this one, you may read the next one in the series that you are up to.

Oooh I think I want to do 5, but it's a lot of books! Just to clarify, all 12 starter shelves will be posted from the beginning (with a delay for goodreads post rules)?

yes, Meg - all should be posted by end of today *fingers crossed*

PAS wrote: "yes, Meg - all should be posted by end of today *fingers crossed*"

thanks - ps - i love the wacky shelf idea!

I'm in for 3. We'll see how it goes.

Another question. Can we pick from the umbrella shelf, e.g. horror, fantasy?

sorry, Meg, I don't quite understand your question?

So in your example mystery above, can we choose a book from
/genres/mystery
or can it only be from one of the other shelves listed (e.g. thriller, crime etc)?

ah, good question!

Yes, let me link the shelves for these "Genres" as part of the selection

The Instructions have been amended to include the following (I forgot about this!!)

E. Monthly Genres

As previously mentioned, in 2024, we will be pausing our Monthly Shelves the way it is currently run. However, we will do a Monthly Genre.

Monthly Genre will be randomly drawn and will be posted around 20th of the previous month. I will be posting the January one early due to the holiday season.

You may read from any of the Shelves as posted in the Genre thread. Continuing with our example of Mystery, you can read a book from "Golden Age Mystery" or "Hard Boiled". It can be any book that you are reading for Your Picks or not, as you'd like.

The aim of this Monthly Genre is to help you along with this Challenge, if you need it. And it will be great to see what others are reading or recommending for the Genres/Shelves.

PAS wrote: "ah, good question!

Yes, let me link the shelves for these "Genres" as part of the selection"

Excellent!

Do we have a signup post? Or folder?

I am going for 3.

Wow, this is awesome! You've really outdone yourself this time, Tien! I'll never manage to finish this challenge, but I'm in anyway :)

Shoot! I thought this was a drinking game! :D

Dee wrote: "Do we have a signup post? Or folder?"

ah no, I figure if people would like to participate, they could just post their plans on Genres threads :)

Marina wrote: "Wow, this is awesome! You've really outdone yourself this time, Tien! I'll never manage to finish this challenge, but I'm in anyway :)"

Thanks, Marina! I hope you'd have fun anyway :D

Kelley wrote: "Shoot! I thought this was a drinking game! :D"

You're welcome to drink while playing, Kelley lol

Maybe a shot each time the word 'shelf' / 'shelves' are mentioned in the book you read for this challenge ;)

Took me awhile to understand, but I think I can make 3 shelves work each month alongside all the other challenges I know we all do 😉

Is there a minimum number of "times shelved" for a book?

When we select a "readers also enjoyed" book, does it have to match exactly if it's in a series? For example, I'm being given books in the Alex Cross series that I've already read and in the "in death" series by J.D. Robb that are way past what I'm up to. Can I read the next in series based on where I am or must the book match what is listed on the given page?

I love it! A very clever twist on Pick-a-Shelf. I am (of course) in! Starting with 3 and hoping to work my way up to 5 if the year allows. We'll see how it goes!

Lagullande wrote: "Is there a minimum number of "times shelved" for a book?"

Sorry, Lagullande, the rules actually note please note which page of the shelves your book can be found.

Amy wrote: "When we select a "readers also enjoyed" book, does it have to match exactly if it's in a series? For example, I'm being given books in the Alex Cross series that I've already read and in the "in de..."

good question, Amy.
While the prompt is trying to encourage exploration, it makes sense that if it's a series that you haven't read, then you can read book 1 instead of book 3 that's on the list. So then, it will also applicable if you have read book 3 to be able to read the next book in the series that you have yet to read.

PAS wrote: "Lagullande wrote: "Is there a minimum number of "times shelved" for a book?"

Sorry, Lagullande, the rules actually note please note which page of the shelves your book can be found."

Ok, so as long a book is on the shelf, it doesn't matter how many times it's been shelved there.

Actually, Lagullande, following above example:

Crime: p2 - Darkly Dreaming Dexter (Dexter #1) by Jeff Lindsay

you'd find the book on page 2 of the shelf... that's what I mean by noting page of the shelf.

We don’t need to plan until the genre comes up, yeah? I don’t want to plan now for a book in April that I might not be able to get from one of my 10 library cards at the time.

And I don’t have a problem, really�. 🤫🤫

Apple, you can read any genres any time. The monthly genres is there for those who needs a bit of support or a bit of a push ;)

I'm only doing limited planning but trying to fit books everywhere as I read them. And then, when genre comes up, hopefully I'll still have 1 or 2 to read

Ahh! Okay, in that case I will plan quarterly to fit the other challenges and what I have the most of and make fit 😉😉

I must be blind, because I have checked a couple of times and I cannot find the similar authors link! :(

Apple, did you see the picture in the first post of this thread? The link is small but it's there! It only works on the website though, not the app

And i thought i was out there with my 6 library cards!! 🤣

Thanks Meg! Missed the picture, and still struggled to see it. What a silly place to put it!

Apple, don't be too hard on yourself. I looked for that Similar Authors for several hours for the first book. And, I am a GR librarian!

Always creative, Tien!! My first take was at least 6 Nonfiction books???!!!??? Then I read the Q&As and realized the prompt books don't have to be the genre from which they are generated. Whew. I might could handle 3 nonfictions. Not sure about sequential art but I'll try it.

LOL - nonfiction will be a challenge for me too, LaurLa.

I saw some books on the sequential art's shelves which aren't comic/manga/graphic novel so if you're keen, you might be able to find them. I think some people interpret 'comic' as 'funny' rather than cartoons.

Tien wrote: "Actually, Lagullande, following above example:

Crime: p2 - Darkly Dreaming Dexter (Dexter #1) by Jeff Lindsay

you'd find the book on page 2 of the shelf... that's what I mean by noting page of th..."

Thanks, Tien. That's what I thought you meant.

I was asking about whether there's a minimum number of times a book must be shelved? Eg Darkly Dreaming Dexter has been shelved as Crime 955 times; however What is Economics? has only been shelved as Cultural/Luxembourg 1 time (not surprisingly!!)

I think the answer is "there is no minimum", otherwise you probably would have said so by now. So we're all good. Sorry for overthinking it!

ugh - i miss the days when GR let you go beyond 25pgs on the genre shelves - especially for popular genres (i'm looking at your history)

Thanks so much for the original challenge this year, Tien!
I will start with 3 books with an option for more later.

Dee wrote: "ugh - i miss the days when GR let you go beyond 25pgs on the genre shelves - especially for popular genres (i'm looking at your history)"

Me too! It really limits one's choices in these types of challenges.

By the time I've scrolled through 25 pages, I'm pretty happy it's done! I just wish you could search and filter based on your books or specific words

Meg wrote: "By the time I've scrolled through 25 pages, I'm pretty happy it's done! I just wish you could search and filter based on your books or specific words"

I totally agree!

I have a book that is non-fiction/shelved 33 times but the history shelves don’t even come close to that low (I think even pg 25 has like 150 shelving’s per book)

Dee wrote: "I have a book that is non-fiction/shelved 33 times but the history shelves don’t even come close to that low (I think even pg 25 has like 150 shelving’s per book)"

Yeah, I had the same thing. Couldn't use it per Tien.

Meg wrote: "By the time I've scrolled through 25 pages, I'm pretty happy it's done! I just wish you could search and filter based on your books or specific words"

I've wished GR could do this ever since I joined in 2011. Instead they changed almost everything about the website except this.

I am in as well for 3 choices

If a relatively new book is obviously set in a particular country but doesn't appear on the list for that country, can we still read it, provided it's easily documented?

I'm specifically thinking about Anatomy published in 2022 and set in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1817. It's specifically written as the header for the prologue. But the book doesn't appear on the Scotland Cultural list as near as I can find.

I'm playing for 3 choices, I think. I don't think I'll get through them all, but I like the random appeal of this particular challenge.

Sorry, Pat, the book must be found on the shelves' pages to qualify so that book won't qualify for this.