NOT LONG NOW! 🍂🎃📚

Go follow the main account @octbrchallenge.bsky.social and the website should still be up and will explain everything here: www.octbrchallenge.org

In the meantime, I should let you know that the OcTBR Challenge will be back again next month! So get those TBR piles ready to read and let's all settle into cosy, autumnal reading in between rallying against genocide and fascism. (Now there's a sentence I never thought I'd say.)

And there we have it. Another year, another OcTBR Challenge done and dusted! How did you do? If you're anything like us, you've probably added to your TBRs... but that's okay! It's fine! There's always next year. :)

fourth week of the @octbrchallenge.bsky.social is over. have an updated image of my reading shelf. greyed out (read earlier this month) books now number 43 (I lied last week and said 44 because apparently counting is hard). only read 7 this week, bringing my total so far to 50.

THE WAY UP IS DEATH 🛕by @danhanks.bsky.social #OcTBRChat

And that brings our festive fun to an end! Thanks to all who've joined us for this year's #OcTBRChat, either along with us or afterwards. As always, we've loved chatting with you about all things books. Until next time!

Last question of this year's #OcTBRChat! Question 4: What book would you be most excited to find under your tree this coming Christmas? #OcTBRChat

Can I say @dan_hanks again? I promise I'm not getting paid to say this! 😂 But also, Andrev Walden. Not sure his books have been translated into English just yet, but I think he can write a beautiful wintery story, his way with words are truly something else 💙❄ #OcTBRchat

The answer is…. @erinmorgenstern.bsky.social Bring me a traveling, disappearing, romantic Christmas circus please and thank you.

The devil in me wants to say Kafka #OcTBRChat

*rubs hands together* Ooooh!!! Whatcha got, friends?? #OcTBRChat

@dan_hanks Swashbucklers! Honesty quite possibly the best Christmas book ever - with a big twist... 😉🎅 😍 #OcTBRchat

Ohhhh we're halfway there-ere! Ohhhh-ohhh... Question 3: You are a publisher tasked with creating the ULTIMATE festive, wintry novel! What author, living or dead (because you can do that), do you hire to write it? #OcTBRChat

Great for some 80s nostalgia :)

The obvious one for me is the Left Hand Of Darkness, a sci fi set on a planet of eternal winter. Give me some solar punk set during Christmas - the very name seems to militate against it, but the future will need punk and DIY solutions for the cold too :)) #OcTBRChat

I would love love love more Christmas or winter horror stories, but we do have quite a few already. I think fantasy has a bunch too. So how about a cyberpunk Christmas? #OcTBRChat

Question 2: Christmas books are classically linked (with good reason) to romance/rom-coms or Dickensian stories. What are some great Christmas or winter-set books in other genres? Or, alternatively, what genre would you LOVE to get more Christmas/winter-set books? #OcTBRChat

I think of all of Angela Carter’s dark fairytales as Christmassy, simply because of the unashamed richness of the prose, its sensuality. Burnished bronze, evergreen and darkest burgundy. #OcTBRChat

Not a specific book, but all the books from Swedish author Åsa Larsson. The books are all set up north, during the wintery season. The beautifully written details makes me long for Christmas. #OcTBRchat

I NEED ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS!!! 🎅🏼 🎄 ❄️

I am unashamedly going to say my book, SWASHBUCKLERS, because I loved writing that cold, festive feel of winter and Christmas and using it as the setting of the ridiculous horror. A bit like Gremlins. It's a fun juxtaposition. But otherwise The Dark Is Rising is perfect. Obviously. #OcTBRChat

So... tonight we're all about Christmas! Yes, yes, we know, we love Halloween too, but we're *almost* past it and so we figured we'd talk about what comes next. Question 1: What book makes you feel Christmassy or is simply a great wintry read (even if it's not a Christmas book)? #OcTBRChat

Ten minute klaxon Awooga-awooga #OcTBRChat

Tonight is our last #OcTBRChat of this year's event! And just so you know, our clocks went back last night, so while we're still on at 8pm UK, that might be different for some of you. We'll be on in just under 2 hours. :)

third week of the @octbrchallenge.bsky.social is over. enjoy yet another version of my reading shelf. greyed out (read earlier this month) books now number 28. I read 15 books last week, bringing to the new total to 44. finished my Silvia Violet binge re-read as well as all but one ARC.

That's it. Our #OcTBRChat date's at an end. We're stood by your door saying goodnight in the rain. There's a look that could be taken to mean something, it could be nothing, and yet we'll be thinking about it for the next few days, grinning to ourselves. This was fun, let's do it again sometime.

I’m reading The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell, and actually that’s quite easy so far Kiss: Holly Sykes Marry: Ed Brubeck Kill: Hugo Lamb

I think there’s probably examples that exist of every romance genre mash-up you could think of. But Space Operomance would be fun :) #OcTBRChat

#OcTBRChat I guess it’s the same reason we love adventure novels. If we’re lucky, most of us will have 1-4 big love stories in our lives. But romances allow us to at least vicariously experience it a few times more.

Tea Cake from Their Eyes Were Watching God is absolutely THE romantic lead for me. Tears strips off Mr Darcy. #OcTBRChat

Horromance. Love in the time of nightmares. Let's make it a thing please! #OcTBRChat

Last question of the evening. We've got romance, romantic comedies, and romantasy (and probably many more we've forgotten to list here). Give us your pitch for the next big and possibly surprising romantic genre mashup! #OcTBRChat

Rebecca Yarros Fourth Wing. Kiss: Xaden Marry: Liam Kill: Dain

Hmm... that's tricky, because my most recent (This is how you lose the time war) only really has 2 characters... so... Kiss: Red Marry: Blue Kill: Hilter (because I could travel up the threads and find him) #OcTBRChat

We love a good #handflex #OcTBRChat

I have to go with another @noellesalazar.bsky.social book for this, as I just finished THE ROARING DAYS OF ZORA LILY. Kiss: Rose, because she was sweet and fun Marry: Zora, because of course. Kill: Kill is harsh, but Elsbeth(?) the maid was NOT nice. #OcTBRChat

I pick the men I always write. Strong moral compass, kindhearted, adventurous, non-judgmental, supportive men. Following @danhanks.bsky.social lead, I’ll choose James Hart from The Flight Girls. BUT also Mr. Darcy. Once he’s been told off and knows the errors of his ways.

Question 3... and we'll give you the PG-13 phrasing. Give us your 'kiss', 'marry', 'kill' for the characters in your current (or at least a recent) read. #OcTBRChat

Percy Blakeney (aka The Scarlett Pimpernell) because he's both a geek and a revolutionary ninja, and a gentleman, but got a sarcastic side that's spot on. I mean, I swooned when I first read it as a teen, because of how he treats his wife (with love and respect). #OcTBRChat

There's usually a happy ending. The best ones are about people being seen for who they are which feels precious.

I think Audrey Coltrane from The Flight Girls was pretty amazing. A pilot, sweet and kick-ass with it. #OcTBRChat

I wonder if part of it is it adds tension, and often conflict, and therefore story. Maybe I'm weird, but I'm not that interested in reading the HEA; give me the will-they, won't-they tension, the only-one-bed, the I-hate-you-but-also-kinda-wanna-shag-you conflicts. #OcTBRChat

Question 2... Adam Brody and Andrew Garfield are getting lots of feed-time as the idealistic romantic partners of the moment (deservedly so, they both seem lovely). So they inspired this question: What fictional book character would be your ideal romantic lead? #OcTBRChat

It's something we can all relate to. Everyone experienced love, one way or another. Most have experienced unhappy love as well. I think we are looking for happy endings to keep our faith in love. But we're also intrigued by impossible love stories. #OcTBRchat

Because hope. #OcTBRChat

Because it taps into those primal feelings of want and need and love so many have. We get to experience those heart-racing moments with idealistic characters we might not always find in our own lives. And because it's fun! #OcTBRChat

It's another #OcTBRChat and tonight we're all about chocolates and flowers and romance and love! *attempts a seductive wink* Ahem. So. First question: Why do we love romance in our fiction so much?