Shop Your Shelves Spring 2023

[fa icon="calendar"] Apr 1, 2023 3:09:17 PM / by Suzanne

New quarter, new Shop Your Shelves board! I reused some squares from the first two boards, but I hope you'll find the new ones fun (and challenging)!

Below you'll find rules, explanations for the squares and a link to square and story boards.

The Board

SYS Spring 2023 Square

Downloads available in Drive.

Rules & Tags

Bingo runs from April 1 through June 30, 2023.

The goal is to read what you already own, but since this is now the third iteration of the challenge, you can customize it to suit your needs. I have review/work obligations so I'll be reading some newer acquisitions regardless. I just won't count them for my board.

Don't count:

  • Pre-orders that arrive after April 1.
  • Kindle Unlimited, Audible Plus or any books purchased with credits after April 1.
  • Library borrows, unless you already have them on loan or on hold
  • Bonus challenge: Backdate this to January 1, which is when the last challenge began or really challenge yourself and don't count anything you've owned for less than a year.

All formats and genres are valid.

You can decide if you want to count re-reads, but I want to get through a chunk of my TBR, so I won't be.

You may use a book to fill up to three squares.

If you plan to join the fun on social, tag @LoveinPanels or use #ShopYourShelvesBingo so we can cheer each other on! We'll be chatting through the challenge in The Reader Room Discord group as well, so please send a message on social or email me (suzanne at loveinpanels.com) for an invite!

Square Explanations

Most of the squares below are pretty self-explanatory, so I haven't gone into detail, but they're all listed for clarity and accessibility. Each row's squares are listed left to right.

Row 1

Pick 5 - Go through your collection and pick out five or more books you want to read this quarter.

I Give Up - Give up on a book! It's totally okay to decide you don't want to read something and one of my goals for this challenge is to ditch a bunch of the books I own but don't like or no longer want to read.

Ugly Cover - Up to you to define "ugly." If you love the cover of every book you own, find one that has "ugly" in the title!

Book Banning is Bad - Take some time to educate yourself on book challenges in your area, spread the word about national or local issues and take some kind of action. This could look like attending a school board or library board meeting, sending emails or donating time, money or books. It's important to recognize that most of this stuff is happening on the local level and your schools and librarians need your help more than you think. Ask how you can support them! PEN America and the American Library Association are good places to start.

Plants - It's spring! Pick a book with plants on the cover, plants in the book or... read to a plant? If it's green and grows, go for it.

Row 2

Over 400 Pages - A chonky book.

Read and Recommend - Love one of the books you read? Tell someone about it!

Bestseller - Any book with the bestseller flag on Amazon or with some kind of bestseller or bestselling author tag on the cover.

New to Me Author

But It Was Free... - A book you picked up as a freebie, received as a gift or acquired in some other free way. If you stole it, it absolutely 100% doesn't count. You don't own that book.

Row 3

Highlight or Tab - Highlight a favorite line or passage in a book or tab it. Sharing is optional but encouraged.

Stand-alone - Not in a series.

Free Space

Resist the Impulse - Give yourself credit for seeking out a book in your library or adding it to a wishlist instead of immediately buying it. Give yourself credit for driving past the bookstore or for walking out without a book for yourself. Give yourself credit for resisting temptation.

Won a Prize - A book that won an award (or was nominated). Indie awards count!

Row 4

It's Not Me, It's You (DNF!) - Here's your permission to DNF (did not finish) another book.

BIPOC Author

Under 200 Pages

Retelling - A retelling or reimagining of another piece of media. Think Romeo & Juliet, While You Were Sleeping, Arthurian legend, the Mahabharata.

No People on the Cover

Row 5

Buddy or Group Read - Read a book with a friend, library book club, group on social or a readathon like the recent Trans Rights Readathon.

Review a Book - Any site counts. You could even write something up in your journal.

Self- or Indie Published

Part of a Series

Second Chance - A book you put down for some reason and haven't picked up again. If you can't find one, try a book with a second chance trope!

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That's it! Download graphics here and don't forget to reach out for an invite to The Reader Room Discord or find us on Instagram @loveinpanels or #ShopYourShelvesBingo.

Happy reading!

Topics: bingo