2017 Book of the Year: Opening Bracket

Each year, I review the books I read in the year prior by pitting them against each other in a round-by-round March Madness style elimination. I'm a little late on the get go with this year since January has traditionally been the month for my Book of the Year Bracket Challenge, but I'd say being off by a week isn't too shabby.

I'm pretty happy to say that I did better in 2017 than 2016, managing to read twenty-eight books instead of the previous paltry eighteen. This means I can utilize the thirty-two slot bracket with a few minor tweaks. First off, I eliminated two books that are non-fiction parenting manuals. They just aren't ones that will fit with this mission. Of the remaining twenty-six challengers, twenty-four are fiction and two are non-fiction. Included in the fiction mix are fourteen books I would consider young adult fiction, four historical fiction, and...oddly for me, one horror. The remaining five are general fiction.

Next, I had twenty-six books and thirty-two slots. That means that there will be six wildcard slots...books that will automatically win their first round through the brackets. In order to make this fair, I randomized the bracket.

As a result of this randomization, book numbers 6, 11, 13, 16, 18, and 24 will automatically win their first brackets. The numbering order of the books was determined by the order in which I read them.

Filling in the books to their respective slots, here's where this year's Book of the Year Bracket Challenge begins:

Next up, we'll meet the challengers. But wait...want to join along?

1. Write a post on your blog declaring your intent to join this year's challenge. Not a blogger? Post to your Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Your bracket updates can be posted as photos on those platforms. Help me to get the word out and get more bloggers involved. The official hashtag for this year's challenge is #BOTY2017. The more the merrier!

Feel free to take the blurb below and add it to your post in order to link back to this sign-up page and help others find the right place to start.

The Book of the Year Bracket Challenge is a blogging challenge open to all reading bloggers and operated by Elle at Erratic Project Junkie.  Participants track the books they read in a year and then enter those books into an NCAA style bracket of any size and in any order they choose. During Feburary of 2018, participating bloggers will begin working through their brackets, eliminating books and picking champions with the ultimate goal of naming their favorite book (book of the year) for 2017. 

2. Grab your list of books read between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017.

3. Find a bracket that fits the number of books you read during the year. Brackets may exist in any of the following book counts: 8, 16, 32, 64, etc. You decide the parameters for how a book gains entry into your bracket and which position in the bracket they start in. Randomize your bracket or simply enter them in the order you read them. Pair up books based on their ratings, their publishing dates, or their number of pages. Want to pre-eliminate books based on lower ratings? Want to utilize Wild Card slots like I did this year? It's all up to personal preference. 

Want to participate, but not sure how to make a bracket? Don't worry! I have some for you. Don't let the fear of the bracket be the reason you don't participate!

4. Fill up your bracket! Any books are eligible for this challenge as long as you read them between January 1,2017 and December 31, 2017. Graphic novels and audio books are also welcome. It's kind of like the Choose Your Own Adventure of book challenges.

5. Participate in bracket elimination posts. Due to my somewhat erratic life and the fact that I currently post based on when my child takes decent naps, there is no set posting schedule this year. The only goal is to have the winner announced no later than February 28, 2018. Feel free to follow along with my schedule or create your own. Be sure to link your eliminations to mine by posting in the comments of my posts so that I and other participants can follow.

6. Start preparing for next year!  In order to help you keep track of the books you've read, consider getting an account over at Goodreads and adding yourself to their 2018 Reading Challenge. Once again, any books are eligible for this challenge as long as you read them between January 1,2018 and December 31, 2018. 

I'll see you next time with a run down of the books that made my bracket this year. Happy Reading!!