Let’s do it again!
Previous years:
If anyone I know wants to read along on any of these, drop me a line. Love to chat about books! 😄
Rules:
- Must be speculative fiction (SF, fantasy, horror with speculative elements)
- Limit the number of novellas (fewer than 40k words or defined by the author as such) or combine them
- A book of short stories counts
- Graphic novels/manga should be treated as novellas
- Web novels count (if they’re long enough)
- Audiobooks count
This post will automatically update as I tag books and I’ll post ~if~ when I finish! I’m going to go for hard mode again as much as possible. Should be fun. :D
2024 Book Bingo
First in a Series Read the first book in a series. Hard Mode: The series is more than three books long. |  Hard Mode ✓ Alliterative Title Read a book where multiple words in the title begin with the same letter. For example, Legends and Lattes, A Storm of Swords, Children of Blood and Bone. Hard Mode: The title has three words or more that start with the same letter. | Under the Surface Read a book where an important setting is either underground or underwater. Hard Mode: At least half the book takes place underground or underwater. |  Hard Mode ✓ Criminals Read a book in which the main character is a criminal. This could be a thief, assassin, someone who commits mail fraud, etc. Hard Mode: Features a heist. | Dreams Read a book where characters experience dreams, magical or otherwise. Hard Mode: The dream is not mystical or unusual, just a normal dream or nightmare. |
 Hard Mode ✓ Entitled Animals Read a book that has an animal in the title. The animal in the title does not have to appear in the story. Examples: The Raven Tower, Wolfsong, A Feast for Crows. Hard Mode: The animal in the title is a fantasy or sci-fi creature, i.e. The Last Unicorn, Leviathan Wakes, or The Kaiju Preservation Society. | Bards Read a book in which the primary protagonist is a bard, musician, poet, or storyteller. Hard Mode: The character is explicitly called a bard. | Prologues and Epilogues Read a book that has either a prologue or an epilogue. Hard Mode: The book must have both. | Self-Published or Indie Publisher Self-published or published through an indie publisher. If a formerly self-published novel has been picked up by a publisher, it only counts for this challenge if you read it when it while was still only self-published. Hard Mode: Self-published and has fewer than 100 ratings on Goodreads OR an indie publisher that has done an AMA with r/Fantasy. | Romantasy Read a book that features romance as a main plot. This must be speculative in nature but does not have to be fantasy. Hard Mode: The main character is LGBTQIA+. |
Dark Academia Read a book that fits the dark academia aesthetic. This includes school and university, secret societies, and dark secrets. Does not have to be fantasy, but must be speculative. Hard Mode: The school itself is entirely mundane. | Multi-POV Read a book with at least three point of view characters. Hard Mode: At least five point of view characters. | Published in 2024 A book published for the first time in 2024 (no reprints or new editions) First translations into your language of choice are allowed. Hard Mode: It’s also the author’s first published novel. |  by Fonda Lee Hard Mode ✓ Character with a Disability Read a book in which an important character has a physical or mental disability. Hard Mode: A main character has a physical or mental disability. | Published in the 1990s Read a book that was published in the 1990s. Hard Mode: The author, or one of the authors, has also published something in the last five years. |
Orcs, Trolls, and Goblins - Oh My! Read a book featuring orcs, trolls, or goblins. Hard Mode: As a main character. | Space Opera Read a sci-fi book that features a large cast of characters and has a focus on social dynamics which may be political or personal in nature. Set primarily in space or on spaceships. Hard Mode: Written by an author of marginalized gender identity (e.g. women, trans people, non-binary people). | Author of Color Read a book by an author of color. Hard Mode: Must be a debut novel published in the last five years. | Survival Read a book in which the primary goal of the characters and story focuses on survival. Surviving an apocalypse, surviving a war, surviving high school, etc. Hard Mode: No superviruses or pandemics. |  by K.J. Parker Hard Mode ✓ Judge A Book By Its Cover Choose because you like its cover. Hard Mode: Pick the book based only on the information available on the cover. No reading the blurb! |
Set in a Small Town The primary setting is a small town. Hard Mode: The small town can be real or fictional but the broader setting must be our real world and not a secondary world. | Five SFF Short Stories Any five short stories or novelettes. Hard Mode: Read an entire speculative anthology or collection. | Eldritch Creatures Read a book featuring a being that is uncanny, unearthly, and weird. This can be a god or monster from another plane or realm and is usually beyond mortal understanding. See this link for further information. Hard Mode: The book is not related to the Cthulhu mythos. | Reference Materials Read a book that features additional material, such as a map, footnotes, glossary, translation guide, dramatis personae etc. Hard Mode: Book contains at least two types of additional materials. | Book Club or Readalong Book Any past or active r/Fantasy book clubs count as well as past or active r/Fantasy readalongs. See our full list of book clubs here. Hard Mode: Must read a current selection of either a book club or readalong and participate in the discussion. |
Full categories
First in a Series
Read the first book in a series.
Hard Mode: The series is more than three books long.
Alliterative Title
Read a book where multiple words in the title begin with the same letter. For example, Legends and Lattes, A Storm of Swords, Children of Blood and Bone.
Hard Mode: The title has three words or more that start with the same letter.
Under the Surface
Read a book where an important setting is either underground or underwater.
Hard Mode: At least half the book takes place underground or underwater.
Criminals
Read a book in which the main character is a criminal. This could be a thief, assassin, someone who commits mail fraud, etc.
Hard Mode: Features a heist.
Dreams
Read a book where characters experience dreams, magical or otherwise.
Hard Mode: The dream is not mystical or unusual, just a normal dream or nightmare.
Entitled Animals
Read a book that has an animal in the title. The animal in the title does not have to appear in the story. Examples: The Raven Tower, Wolfsong, A Feast for Crows.
Hard Mode: The animal in the title is a fantasy or sci-fi creature, i.e. The Last Unicorn, Leviathan Wakes, or The Kaiju Preservation Society.
Bards
Read a book in which the primary protagonist is a bard, musician, poet, or storyteller.
Hard Mode: The character is explicitly called a bard.
Prologues and Epilogues
Read a book that has either a prologue or an epilogue.
Hard Mode: The book must have both.
Self-Published or Indie Publisher
Self-published or published through an indie publisher. If a formerly self-published novel has been picked up by a publisher, it only counts for this challenge if you read it when it while was still only self-published.
Hard Mode: Self-published and has fewer than 100 ratings on Goodreads OR an indie publisher that has done an AMA with r/Fantasy.
Romantasy
Read a book that features romance as a main plot. This must be speculative in nature but does not have to be fantasy.
Hard Mode: The main character is LGBTQIA+.
Dark Academia
Read a book that fits the dark academia aesthetic. This includes school and university, secret societies, and dark secrets. Does not have to be fantasy, but must be speculative.
Hard Mode: The school itself is entirely mundane.
Multi-POV
Read a book with at least three point of view characters.
Hard Mode: At least five point of view characters.
Published in 2024
A book published for the first time in 2024 (no reprints or new editions) First translations into your language of choice are allowed.
Hard Mode: It’s also the author’s first published novel.
Character with a Disability
Read a book in which an important character has a physical or mental disability.
Hard Mode: A main character has a physical or mental disability.
Published in the 1990s
Read a book that was published in the 1990s.
Hard Mode: The author, or one of the authors, has also published something in the last five years.
Orcs, Trolls, and Goblins - Oh My!
Read a book featuring orcs, trolls, or goblins.
Hard Mode: As a main character.
Space Opera
Read a sci-fi book that features a large cast of characters and has a focus on social dynamics which may be political or personal in nature. Set primarily in space or on spaceships.
Hard Mode: Written by an author of marginalized gender identity (e.g. women, trans people, non-binary people).
Author of Color
Read a book by an author of color.
Hard Mode: Must be a debut novel published in the last five years.
Survival
Read a book in which the primary goal of the characters and story focuses on survival. Surviving an apocalypse, surviving a war, surviving high school, etc.
Hard Mode: No superviruses or pandemics.
Judge A Book By Its Cover
Choose because you like its cover.
Hard Mode: Pick the book based only on the information available on the cover. No reading the blurb!
Set in a Small Town
The primary setting is a small town.
Hard Mode: The small town can be real or fictional but the broader setting must be our real world and not a secondary world.
Five SFF Short Stories
Any five short stories or novelettes.
Hard Mode: Read an entire speculative anthology or collection.
Eldritch Creatures
Read a book featuring a being that is uncanny, unearthly, and weird. This can be a god or monster from another plane or realm and is usually beyond mortal understanding. See this link for further information.
Hard Mode: The book is not related to the Cthulhu mythos.
Reference Materials
Read a book that features additional material, such as a map, footnotes, glossary, translation guide, dramatis personae etc.
Hard Mode: Book contains at least two types of additional materials.
Book Club or Readalong Book
Any past or active r/Fantasy book clubs count as well as past or active r/Fantasy readalongs. See our full list of book clubs here.
Hard Mode: Must read a current selection of either a book club or readalong and participate in the discussion.