Happy New Year and welcome to the Sapphic Book Bingo 2022!
Since my previous reading challenges (the Sapphic Reading Challenge in 2021, the F/F Fiction Crossword Challenge in 2020, and the Lesbian Book Bingo in 2018) were so popular with readers, I decided to host a new reading challenge in 2022. I hope it will keep you reading all year and help you find new favorite books and authors!
What is the Sapphic Book Bingo?
The Sapphic Book Bingo is a fun, year-long event for readers of sapphic fiction. It runs from January 1 to December 31, 2022. You can join any time you want.
Why is it called Sapphic Book Bingo?
In case you aren’t familiar with the term sapphic: It comes from the Greek poet Sappho, who wrote about love and passion between women.
During the past few years, I’ve come to use sapphic rather than F/F or lesbian when I’m talking about our genre because it’s more inclusive.
Lesbian is a perfectly fine word, but not every book with a love story between two women is a lesbian romance. Some of the characters in these stories are bisexual, pansexual, or homoromantic asexual women, or they prefer the label queer–or no label at all.
The term sapphic includes any woman who’s attracted to women, but unlike the term WLW (women-loving women), it also includes nonbinary people and intersex people who identify as sapphic (not all nonbinary or intersex people do).
The rules of the Sapphic Book Bingo
- The reading challenge will run from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022. You can join at any time. No registration necessary—just start reading!
- The goal is to fill out the entire bingo card by reading one book for each square. If reading 25 sapphic books in 2022 sounds too ambitious, you can also aim for completing just one line (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) of the bingo card (5 books).
- Below, you’ll find two bingo cards to choose from: a regular bingo card with 25 squares and a Book Unicorn card with 12 harder-to-find categories. You can pick the regular card or the Book Unicorn card or try to complete both—totally up to you.
- Each book needs to have at least one sapphic main character (see above for the definition of sapphic).
- Each book may be used only once per card, even if it fits several different squares.
- I’ll post book recommendations for a different square on my blog three to four times a month. You can either pick a book from my recommended reading lists or choose any other sapphic book that fits the square.
- Only books you started and finished in 2022 count.
- Books can be any format—ebook, paperback, or audiobook.
- Books can be any language. In fact, there’s a German version of the reading challenge too.
- It doesn’t necessarily have to be a novel. Novellas (usually around 17,500-40,000 words) count too, as do anthologies, fanfiction, and graphic novels.
- Not all books you read for the Sapphic Book Bingo need to be new-to-you. Re-reads of books you’ve previously read count too.
- Email me your filled-out bingo card by December 31, 2022 at 10 am German time, to be entered into the drawing (see below for the prizes you can win).
- If you are a voracious reader who reads hundreds of books a year, feel free to send in several bingo cards. You’ll get one entry into the giveaway for each card.
The prizes
The real prize, of course, is discovering a lot of awesome books and new favorite authors.
But there’ll also be a big giveaway at the end of the year. Everyone who sends in their bingo card with at least one complete line will be entered into the drawing.
There will be 15 winners:
- I’ll draw 5 winners among those readers who send in a bingo card with one complete line. Each of these winners wins 1 ebook.
- I’ll draw 5 winners among those readers who send in a completed Book Unicorn card. Each of these winners wins 2 ebooks.
- I’ll draw 5 winners among those readers who send in a complete bingo card, with all 25 squares filled out. Each of these winners wins a bundle of 5 books—a mix of paperbacks and ebooks or all ebooks (winner’s choice).
Email me your filled-in bingo card—either the filled-in PDF you can download below or a screenshot/photo of it—by December 31. I’ll draw the winners on December 31, 2022, at 10 a.m. Central European Time, using a random numbers generator.
The regular Sapphic Book Bingo card
Here are the 25 categories for the main bingo card. I’ll post a new recommended-reading list three times a month on Thursdays. I put together a mix of popular tropes and topics as well as categories that’ll push you to try new books and diversify your reading. I encourage you to read diversely, from a wide spectrum of authors and genres.
You can download a PDF of the regular bingo card here. Fill it in with the titles of the sapphic books you read in 2022. You can either type in the PDF or print it out and fill it in by hand.
The categories for the regular Sapphic Book Bingo card:
For book recommendations, you can click on the links for each of the categories I have already posted:
- Favorite trope: Read a sapphic book that contains your favorite romance trope. A trope is a common theme, plot, or character type, e.g., ice queen character, second-chance romance, workplace romance, friends-to-lovers romance, etc.
- Award-winning book: Read a sapphic book that won a literary award such as a Golden Crown Literary Society Award (Goldie), a Rainbow Award, a Lambda Literary Award, or any other award.
- Disaster: Read a sapphic book in which a natural or man-made disaster plays an important role, e.g., an earthquake, a hurricane, a plane crash, etc.
- Sports romance: Read a sapphic book featuring a main character who’s an athlete or otherwise involved in a sport, e.g., a coach, physical therapist, etc. The sports setting needs to be essential to the book, not just be mentioned in passing a couple of times.
- Author’s pick: Choose an author and have them suggest one of their books to you. If you are too shy to email an author and ask, wait until I post my list of 175 authors and the books they want you to read.
- Full-time writer: Read a sapphic book by an author who writes full-time.
- Established couple: Read a sapphic book that features an established couple—the characters already need to be together at the beginning of the book.
- Fake relationship romance: Read a sapphic book in which the two main characters pretend to be in a relationship with each other.
- Free book: Traditionally, this is the “free choice” square, but I thought I’d spice it up by having you read a book that you got for free. Many authors have a free story for you to download on their website (you’ll find mine here) or send one to readers who sign up to their newsletter. I’ll post a huge list of free books for you to download in April.
- Out of your comfort zone: Read a sapphic book that is a bit—or a lot—out of your reading comfort zone. It could be a genre or trope you don’t usually read, or you could try a new format, e.g., an audiobook if you don’t usually listen to them.
- Sapphic classic: Read a sapphic classic—one of the trailblazing books published in the 20th century or before, at a time when most mainstream publishers wouldn’t publish LGBT+ literature and sapphic characters often didn’t get a happy ending. Look for a book first published before 2000.
- Newbie author: Read a sapphic book by an author who has published no more than two novel-length books.
- Coming-out story: Read a sapphic book in which the main character comes out as LGBT+ (to themselves and/or to others) during the course of the book.
- Non-human character: Pick a sapphic book about a main character who is not human, e.g., alien, vampire, werewolf, shape-shifter, etc.
- POC character: Read a sapphic book featuring a protagonist who’s a person of color, written by a POC author.
- Character with a disability: Read a sapphic book featuring a main character who has a physical disability, a chronic illness, or a mental disorder.
- Non-US/UK setting: Read a sapphic book that is set in a country other than the US or the UK.
- Unusual job: Read a sapphic book featuring a main character with an unusual job.
- Meet-cute: Read a sapphic book in which the two main characters share a first meeting that is cute, hilarious, or unusual. Often, it’s a misunderstanding or an awkward situation, e.g., one character spills coffee on the other.
- Erotica or erotic romance: Read a steamy sapphic book.
- Different sexual orientation or gender identity: Read a sapphic book featuring a main character whose sexual orientation or gender identity differs from your own. For example, if you are cis, pick a book about a trans or nonbinary character; if you are a lesbian, pick a book about a bisexual, pansexual, or asexual character, etc.
- Not a romance: Read a sapphic book that is not a romance. It can have a romance subplot, but the romance shouldn’t be the main plot.
- Butch character: Read a sapphic book featuring a butch main character.
- Romantic comedy: Read a sapphic romcom—a light-hearted, humorous romance that is guaranteed to make you laugh.
- Bet or a dare: Read a sapphic book that involves a dare or a bet.
The Book Unicorn bingo card:
As in last year’s Sapphic Reading Challenge, the Book Unicorn represents harder-to-find themes and categories. So if you’d like to challenge yourself, you can try to complete the Book Unicorn bingo card.
I’ll post a recommended-reads list for one category of the Book Unicorn card once a month, starting with “second generation” on January 13.
As you can see, the Book Unicorn card isn’t a 5×5 grid. The squares form a U for Unicorn.
You can download a PDF of the Book Unicorn bingo card here. You can either type in the PDF or print it out and fill it in by hand.
The categories for the Book Unicorn bingo card:
For book recommendations, you can click on the links for each of the categories I have already posted:
- Second generation: Read a book with two generations of LGBT+ characters, e.g., the sapphic protagonist has a parent or a child who is LGBT+ too.
- Therapy: Read a sapphic book featuring a main character who is in psychotherapy—as the patient, not the therapist.
- Faith: Read a sapphic book in which faith or religion plays an important role. It could be any religion, not just Christianity.
- Historical event: Read a sapphic book that is based on a historical event. It could be a historical novel based on a specific event or a more contemporary book that contains an important event that happened in more recent years.
- Safer sex: Read a sapphic book in which the characters practice safer sex, e.g., they get tested for STDs before sleeping together, talk about safer sex, use dental dams or condom-covered sex toys, etc.
- Character over 50: Read a sapphic book with at least one main character who is over 50.
- 400+ pages: Read a sapphic book with more than 400 pages. If you know the word count, which is more accurate than page numbers, pick a book with more than 130,000 words. For audiobooks, pick one that is at least 13 hours long.
- BDSM elements: Read a sapphic book that contains elements of BDSM (bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism). BDSM encompasses an entire spectrum of activities, from blindfolds and light restraint to flogging and more restrictive bondage, etc., so pick whatever you prefer.
- Book mention: Read a sapphic book that mentions another sapphic book or a sapphic book that is mentioned in another sapphic book. For example, the characters are mentioned to be reading a sapphic book, or they have it on their bookshelf.
- Period: Read a sapphic book that mentions the main character having her period.
- More than two POVs: Read a sapphic book that is told from more than two points of view. Not just the main characters, but also at least one supporting character gets their own POV.
- Twins: Read a sapphic book featuring a main character who is a twin. They can be maternal or fraternal twins.
Don’t miss the first square of the Sapphic Book Bingo
I’ll post the book recommendations for the first category of the Sapphic Book Bingo on Thursday, January 6. We’ll start with “favorite romance trope” for which I will share recommended reads for popular tropes such as ice queen characters, age-gap romance, fake relationship romance, etc.
To make sure you don’t miss it, subscribe to my blog, and I’ll send the post to your in-box!
Need more book recommendations to fill your bingo card?
As I said, you’ll get weekly book recommendations on this blog. I’ll share 15 books for one category every Thursday.
But if you need more book recommendations, here are a few options:
If you are on Facebook and want book recommendations from other readers to fill your bingo card—or you just want to chat about the books you love, feel free to join my Facebook group for readers. It’s a private group, so only members can see who’s in it and what we are discussing.
If you prefer Goodreads over Facebook, I also set up a Goodreads group for the Sapphic Book Bingo.
My publisher, Ylva, also put together a list of Ylva Publishing books and how they fit into the squares of the two bingo cards.
Leave a comment
Please leave a comment below and let us know which bingo card you will pick for this year’s reading challenge. Are you aiming to complete the 25 squares of the regular bingo card? Just one line? Or will you take on the Book Unicorn card?
73 Responses
The new challenge is out. What a great start of a new year
I am ready for the challenge. This is going to be fun and exciting.
I’m gonna try both cards 😍😍😍
I am going to try both cards.
This looks great! I already have a few titles in mind and with the all the recs from last (as well as the new ones), I am sure to fill up the rest.
Will you add the challenge to Storygraph as well?
I’m not on Storygraph, but I’ll look into it if I have the time.
Hi! I hope Jae doesn’t mind, but I went ahead and recreated the challenge on Storygraph.
It can be found here:
https://app.thestorygraph.com/reading_challenges/9fed2992-848a-489e-ad70-c4becdbcd26a
Thanks so much! I’ve been meaning to do it but didn’t have the time.
I’ll be trying both cards too. Some of the categories in the Unicorn card got me thinking about some of the books in my tbr list
I’m going to try completing both cards! 😊
Both cards for me too! :-)
I’m going to try for both cards. This is going to be very interesting.
Going for both! Love these!!
I too am going for both cards :-)
Nice categories you made up, Jae! I am so happy you made another challenge.
I’m glad you like the categories!
I was a voracious reader but due to family and life circumstances over the last couple years reading has been put on the back burner (buying books has not though 😉). I am going to try for one line to a full card. Reading the categories, book names & authors came jumping to my memory so I look forward to this challenge for 2022.
I hope life treats you more kindly and leaves you plenty of time to read!
Also going for both, of course :)
Thanks for doing this, JAE ! <3
Gonna try both! This is awesome!
Is this the 3rd year of challenges? Or were there previous years?
Regardless, I’ve been interested the past 2 years, and “planned” to do the challenges, but never wrote in any of the books I’d read.
This year is going to be different! I’m going to be on the ball!
Thanks, so much, Jae, for all the hard work you put into doing these.
I’m going to try to complete both cards. I was wondering how you’d come up with different categories after so many for 2021 but here they are. Thank you again!!
I am going for both cards. Hopefully more than one of each.
Thank you Jae for doing these challenges. I have come across many new authors and still have some authors I want to check out.
I will like to participate, however I mainly read in Spanish. Is this going to be a problem?
Not at all! If you can find enough Spanish language books to cover the categories, that’s great. All languages are allowed. I also had a lot of readers reading books in several different languages in the last reading challenge I ran.
I am in too
Definitely going for both cards. I have such long tbr & tbl lists with books from most of these categories. Love this, thanks Jae!
I am gonna try for both cards. The unicorn is really gonna be a challenge I think, but I can’t wait to start it.
I have so many new books on my reading list, I really hope I can fit some of them in these cards.
Thank you so much for doing these challenges.
Such a great way to start the new year!
Love all these categories so I’m definitely going to try to fill both bingo cards.
I’m so excited! I’m going to be trying both boards.
Newbie here. Going in for both!
I’m really excited to do this! I’ve never done a reading challenge before! I’m going to do the full bingo card.
I too shall try both cards, only started reading these books in about September, so 2022 seems a good challenge…I think I read 42 in 4 months…quite enjoy the audio books, but not all available there, so downloaded Kindle for the new year….Can’t wait to share the experience..Thank you for the work you do to put this together.
I’m gonna the both of them
How do we know the exact titles for each category? Is there a list somewhere? I’d like to participate!
I will post a list of book recommendations for each of the categories–one category per week, starting with the “favorite trope” category on Thursday (January 6).
You can also join either the Facebook group or the Goodreads group that I linked to in the post. Both groups are great with recommendations.
gonna shoot for both.
I’m gonna try for both cards. Question, do FanFics count? If they are long enough and completed to meet the requirements?
Yes, fanfics count too. I’ll add it to the rules.
I’m going to try to do both cards. I’ve avoided this challenge, but I’ll try this year.
TY Jae!
I’m going to give this a try this year! Thanks for doing this Jae!
I hope you enjoy it!
Since this is my first time, I will give the regular card a try.
I hope you enjoy your first reading challenge!
Happy to take part!
Loved the 2021 Challenge and looking forward to the Sapphic Book Bingo 2022. I have downloaded both cards… thank you so much Jae. It’s fabulous learning of new authors and genres within sapphic reading. My bibliotherapy! 🙌🏽🌻
Considering I did Dragon 2 and Unicorn last year in 6 months, I’m comfortable going for both cards. I am slowing down; rather than a book a day, I’m shooting for a book every three days.
I expect to take the opportunity to reread some favorites (which I never did last year) that fit some of the categories perfectly.
Question: does “free books” include ARCs or “here’s a free audio book; write me a short review, please”?
I will join both challenges- looking forward to a fun time with lots of great books and new authors
Going for both cards!
I am going to try for the regular bingo card but I have a question. In the genre about already established couples, can you use book 2 of a series or is that a dis qualifier since it is a series?
Using book 2 of a series is totally fine for the “established couple” category.
I’m gonna try to do both cards :D
Looking at the Unicorn card, I can think of one book that would tick two categories on the unicorn card. I’m assuming that it could only be used to fill one square, yes?
Exactly! A lot of books would potentially fit more than one square, but unless you read it twice in 2022, you can only use each book for ONE square.
I am going to try for both! It’s my first time and I am looking forward to it!❤😁
What’s the ruling on using a book for the regular card and unicorn card. Has to be read twice?
I’m going to try for both. I am ambitious, and also it’s almost the end of January and I’ve read 12 sapphic books already, so I’m going good.
Wow, that’s great! I’m up to six. I hope you enjoy the reading challenge!
if a book fits a category in the regular card and in the bingo card, can i use it on both cards?
No, every book can only be used once. Unless, of course, you read it TWICE in 2022, then you can use it on both cards. Happy reading!
I am going to try both. I’m hoping YA books are included. Some are just amazing. This will be fun.
Yes, YA is included–any genre and format, actually, as long as they have sapphic main characters.
This is great! I’ll be doing the regular 25 square bingo card!
I hope you enjoy the reading challenge!
Halfway through the year, but I’m going to try and finish a card. This sounds like a lot of fun! 📚
I just saw this. I’ve been reading all year so looks like I’ll be filling in some
Squares. This is fun I love this idea and hope so it next year too.
Yes, I’m planning a Sapphic Book Bingo with new categories for 2023! Feel free to subscribe to my blog so you won’t miss it: https://www.subscribepage.com/Jae_blog
Oh how I wish I had discovered this earlier in the year. Happy to see you’ll be doing it again next year!
It’s been so popular this year that I decided to run another Sapphic Book Bingo in 2023. Stay tuned for the rules & categories post on January 1!
I’ve been reading for this bingo all year and have loved it! But when rounding up all the books I thought of a question; I didn’t read enough for a full card, but have filled a couple lines, do I send in one card with multiple lines or should I send multiple cards, one for each line?
I didn’t know how it worked as far as entries to the giveaway drawings
It’s my first year participating so I want to do it right lol, and in 2023 I’m hoping for a black out card! : D
Thanks for participating! Just send one card with everything you read. Even if you haven’t filled all 25 squares, I’ll still enter you into the drawing and add the books you read to the “most-read books” stats!
I’ve only just discovered this! Damn! This was a fantastic idea and I’ve missed it. 😔
Please tell me we are going to have it from tomorrow again. I will totally join in for next year.
Yes, there’ll be a 2023 Sapphic Book Bingo too! Check back tomorrow for the rules, bingo cards, and categories!