#COYER Upside Down 2023 ~ Sign up

COYER turns 10 this year! Can you believe it? Neither can we! In fact, it caught us completely by surprise. We were busy planning away for 2023 like it was just any ordinary COYER year. It was an early Saturday morning:

All of a sudden as we were ALMOST done, Stephanie interjects with “umm, not to mess everything up but this is going to be COYER’s 10th year.” Well it did pretty much obliterate our plans, but how could we not celebrate 10 years of COYER?! We hope you’ll celebrate with us… things are going to get stranger this year! If you didn’t pick it up from the logo (don’t worry Berls didn’t either)… we’re letting Stranger Things inspire us a bit this year.

Remember how COYER started?

If you’d like a full history of how COYER started, we’ve actually talked about it on Because Challenges! But in short, it started with an email from Berls to Michelle in August 2013, a sign up post in September 2013 and a one month challenge in November 2013. This was before all the special events and extra challenges and was just plain, strict COYER. So in honor of COYER’s 10th birthday we’ll be marching backwards towards how it all started. Are you ready?

Like in 2021 and 2022, we will have two parts to COYER: the reading challenge and the community challenge. First up, the reading challenge…

COYER Upside Down – Run primarily by Michelle

COYER – Clean Out Your E-Reads – was initially about reading free (or nearly free) e-books and writing reviews for them. Later we added in Summer Vacation where format and price didn’t matter. Along the way we added in all sorts of extra twists and challenges just to keep it fun. You’re going to get a bit of that this year, but we’re jumbling it up and flipping it upside down so that when we get to COYER’s ACTUAL birthday we’ll be doing it like we started, with the strict rules. We’ve divided the year into 3 Chapters (instead of seasons). As always you can participate all year, part of the year, or not at all and just participate in COYER Community. At the end of each Chapter, reviews entered in the review linky will be eligible for a $5 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

Chapter 1: It’s a Cold Summer

Chapter 1 will run January – April. It may be winter time, but since we’re turning things upside down, we’ll be reading with Summer Rules. Rules for Chapter 1 as follows:

1. Format doesn’t matter. Any format counts.
2. Price doesn’t matter. They can be free, they can be $50. They can be Kindle Unlimited, borrowed, etc.
3. Announce your participation! This can be a blog post (or if you don’t have a blog – Facebook, Twitter, Mastodon, Hive, Instagram, TikTok, Goodreads, etc.) If you want to list books you would like to read, that’s great, but not necessary. The point is to let everyone know you’re committed to COYER, maybe share some goals, and help spread the word. Not sure how to do your post? Check out this example from a previous COYER.
4. Link up! Link that post (not just your blog homepage) to the linky below.
5. Review & Link Reviews! Your review may be on your blog, Goodreads, etc. Link the review to the Review Linky (opens January 1st). When you post your review to the linky use the following format: Your Name @ Blog (if applicable): Book Title (e.g., “Michelle @ Because Reading: Twilight”).
6. Follow & share reviews on social media. Use #COYER on your posts and look for others posting with the hashtag.
7. Visit Each Other, Chat & Have Fun!

Michelle will post the Chapter 1 winner and sign up for Chapter 2 on April 20th. Be sure to have your reviews on the linky by 12 noon EST April 19th for them to be included in the Chapter 1 drawing. Any reviews entered after 12 noon April 19th will go to the Chapter 2 drawing. Keep following Chapter 1 rules through the end of April. Chapter 2 Rules will begin May 1.

Chapter 2: Get On Board

Chapter 2 will run May – August. It may be summer… but we’re turning things upside down on you and we’ll be giving you a special challenge that we cooked up just for our 10 year celebration. We hope you like games, because you’ll be reading and racing your way through a board game this summer! Rules for Chapter 2:

1. Work your way through the board game earning ‘spaces’ on the board. We will be sharing the game board with you in April with more specifics. You will move forward, racing towards the finish line by reading books. Depending on the categories you earn 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 spaces on the board.
   • 6 spaces: free books (any format, but must be owned by you… no library, subscriptions, etc)
   • 5 spaces: nearly free books. This is less than $1 print/eBook, or $3 audiobooks (still any format, but still must be owned by you… no library, subscriptions, etc)
   • 4 spaces: sale books. This is less than $5 print/eBook, or $7.50 audiobooks (still any format, but still must be owned by you… no library, subscriptions, etc)
   • 3 spaces: library books, ARCs, borrowed books (still any format)
   • 2 spaces: subscription books — KU, Prime, Scribd, Audible+, etc (still any format)
   • 1 space: any book, any format, any LEGAL means of obtaining, any price
2. Announce your participation! This can be a blog post (or if you don’t have a blog – Facebook, Twitter, Mastodon, Hive, Instagram, TikTok, Goodreads, etc.) If you want to list books you would like to read, that’s great, but not necessary. The point is to let everyone know you’re committed to COYER, maybe share some goals, and help spread the word. Not sure how to do your post? Check out this example from a previous COYER.
3. Link up! Link that post (not just your blog homepage) to the linky Michelle will share April 20th.
4. Review & Link Reviews! Your review may be on your blog, Goodreads, etc. Link the review to the Review Linky (the same linky as Chapters 1 and 3). When you post your review to the linky use the following format: Your Name @ Blog (if applicable): Book Title (e.g., “Michelle @ Because Reading: Twilight”).
5. Follow & share reviews on social media. Use #COYER on your posts and look for others posting with the hashtag.
6. Visit Each Other, Chat & Have Fun.

Michelle will post the Chapter 2 winner and sign up for Chapter 3 on August 24th. In addition, she will post a bonus Happy Birthday COYER Rafflecopter where you can earn points for how far you made it through the board game (including if you completed it multiple times). Be sure to have your reviews on the linky by 12 noon EST August 23rd for them to be included in the Chapter 2 drawing. Any reviews entered after 12 noon August 23rd will go to the Chapter 3 drawing. Keep following Chapter 2 rules through the end of August. Chapter 3 Rules will begin September 1. Michelle will announce a winner for the bonus Happy Birthday COYER Rafflecopter Monday, September 4th.

Chapter 3: The Beginning

Chapter 3 will run September – December. In honor of our very first COYER, which was announced September 5, 2013 (the original sign up post) and began November 1, 2013 (the very first kick off post) and ended November 30th with not one but two ending posts (post 1 and post 2)because… well I honestly can’t remember why lol… we’ll be following the original strict rules that became COYER at this time 10 years ago!

1. Every book you read MUST be in an electronic format</strong> – meaning eBook or Audiobook. It’s okay to start a book before September 1st, you must be less than half way for it to count then review it during COYER.
2. The books must be FREE or NEARLY FREE! This includes review books, tour books, NetGalley, Edelweiss, etc. What’s nearly free? No more than $5 for eBooks and no more than $7.50 for Audiobooks (or the equivalent in your currency). Library books, borrowed books, or Kindle Unlimited, Amazon Prime books, and Audible Plus Catalog books do not qualify.
3. Announce your participation! This can be a blog post (or if you don’t have a blog – Facebook, Twitter, Mastodon, Hive, Instagram, TikTok, Goodreads, etc.) If you want to list books you would like to read, that’s great, but not necessary. The point is to let everyone know you’re committed to COYER Winter, maybe share some goals, and help spread the word. Not sure how to do your post? Check out this example from a previous COYER.
4. Link up! Link that post (not just your blog homepage) to the linky below.
5. Review & Link Reviews! Your review may be on your blog, Goodreads, etc. Link the review to the Review Linky (the same linky as Chapters 1 and 2). When you post your review to the linky use the following format: Your Name @ Blog (if applicable): Book Title (e.g., “Michelle @ Because Reading: Twilight”).
6. Follow & share reviews on Social Media. Use #COYER on your posts and look for others posting with the hashtag.
7. Visit Each Other, Chat & Have Fun!

Michelle will post the Chapter 3 winner January 1, 2024. Be sure to have your reviews on the linky by 12pm (noon) EST December 31st for them to be included in the Chapter 3 drawing.

COYER Community – Run primarily by Berls, Lillian, and Stephanie

We love the COYER Community and the way it has grown to be something unique and separate from the initial reading challenge. There are lots of elements to COYER Community. You can do as many or as few of the pieces as you would like (or none and just do COYER Upside Down). We gave you a survey in September, and we’ve made a few tweaks in response to your feedback, but most things remain the same because you seem to be pretty happy with how things are going!

Like the last two years, COYER Community will have 3 Semesters, 4 months each. Everything for the community will be points on a Rafflecopter(opening January 1st). At the end of each season, a winner will be randomly selected on the Rafflecopter for a $5 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble. The first day of each season a host will share the Rafflecopter for the next season. We will announce a winner of the previous season on the 8th day of the new season. This means that all entries for the season must be in the Rafflecopter by 11:59 PM EST on the 7th day of the new month. Each season will have a new Rafflecopter which will be announced in the Facebook group and will also always be available at Because Challenges.

The Community Semesters

We will have 3, four month long, “semesters” in COYER Community:

• January – April: Stephanie and Lillian will run this semester and post a Rafflecopter January 1st. They will announce a winner May 8th.
• May – August: Berls and Lillian will run this semester, posting a new Rafflecopter May 1st. They will announce a winner September 8th.
• September – December: Berls and Stephanie will run this semester, posting a new Rafflecopter September 1st. They will announce a winner January 8th.

*Bonus opportunity: Books of My Heart & Angel’s Guilty Pleasures will be hosting a Library Love BINGO July 5th – August 16th. Participating will earn you a bonus point in the COYER Community Rafflecopter (plus their giveaway)!

Sign up

To sign up for COYER Community, all you have to do is join the COYER Facebook Group. If you’re in the group, you’re eligible to participate. It’s also where all announcements and activities will be posted.

What’s on the Rafflecopter?

Every semester the same items will be on the Rafflecopter. Watch for posts from Berls, Michelle, Lillian, and Stephanie. Participate in as many of the following items as you’d like to rack up your points:

1. Buddy Reading. When you read a book with a COYER buddy, you can link the review to the Rafflecopter and earn a point. It also meets the COYER seasonal rules, go ahead and link the review to that linky as well. Just be sure to mention your buddy and their rating in your review. Tune in on Buddy Reading Wednesday for help finding a buddy!
2. DEAR Participation. DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) with us 4 times in a month to earn a point. This year we’re giving you 8 more opportunities to DEAR. Here’s the DEAR Schedule (which will remain the same all year):
   • Tuesdays and Thursdays:
     • 7 pm EST / 6 pm CST / 4pm PST
     • 9 pm EST / 7 pm CST / 5pm PST
   • Saturdays:
     • 5 am EST / 4 am CST / 2 am PST
     • 11 am EST / 10 am CST / 8 am PST
     • 4 pm EST / 3 pm CST / 1 pm PST
     • 9 pm EST / 8 pm CST / 6 pm PST
3. Read-a-thons. Each book you read for each read-a-thon will count as a point on the Rafflecopter. As always, Michelle will post a sign-up and closing post in the Facebook group. For those that like to plan, here’s when you’ll get the list of each semester’s read-a-thons:
   • Sunday December 18th look for a Facebook post with a list of read-a-thons for January – April
   • Sunday April 9th look for a Facebook post with a list of read-a-thons for May – August
   • Sunday August 13th look for a Facebook post with a list of read-a-thons for September – December
4. Can You Read a Series in a Month? (#SIAM). Michelle and Berls will continue to host SIAM once per semester. This is a challenge you can participate in even if you are not doing COYER Community, but COYER Community participants will get a bonus point for successfully completing the challenge. We’ll be hosting the first SIAM in January with a special Readalong tie in challenge! Keep your eyes posted for the sign up.
5. Book Club. Like last year, we’re keeping the frequency at every other month (See full schedule below) and will continue to vote for books to be read. Book club will be 1 hour, the final Sunday of the month at 4pm EST/ 3pm CST / 1pm PST. We will continue our chat through FB Messenger.
   • January Book Club with Lillian: Voting is already open for January books (event details). The winning books will be announced December 1st.
   • March Book Club with Stephanie: Suggestions for book club will open up January 1 and voting will begin January 15th. The winning books will be announced February 1st.
   • May Book Club with Lillian: Suggestions for book club will open up March 1 and voting will begin March 15th. The winning books will be announced April 1st.
   • July Book Club with Berls: Suggestions for book club will open up May 1 and voting will begin May 15th. The winning books will be announced June 1st.
   • September Book Club with Berls: Suggestions for book club will open up July 1 and voting will begin July 15th. The winning books will be announced August 1st.
   • November Book Club with Stephanie: Suggestions for book club will open up September 1st and voting will begin September 15th. The winning books will be announced October 1st.
6. Read Along Chats. Anne @ Books of My Heart is hosting her yearly Read Along again and COYER is tagging along! We’ll be wrapping up 2022’s Readalong of the Night Huntress World by Jeanienne Frost with a special #SIAM of the final 3 books in the Night Huntress world in January. Then we’ll launch into the 2023 Readalong of Iron Druid Chronicles by Kevin Hearne (Details to be announced on her blog December 2nd!). The Sunday following each book’s review, we will have a 1 hour chat about the book at 3pm EST. We will continue our chat in FB Messenger. In addition, we’ll have a recommended reading schedule for slower readers, medium paced readers, and fast readers to stay on track and hopefully find similar speed reading buddies. Here is the schedule for 2023:
   • Feb 5: Shades of Wicked, Wicked Bite, Wicked All Night (Night Huntress World)
   • Mar 5: Hounded
   • Apr 4: Hexed
   • May 7: Hammered
   • Jun 4: Tricked
   • Jul 9: Trapped
   • Aug 6: Hunted
   • Sep 10: Shattered
   • Oct 8: Staked
   • Nov 5: Besieged /novellas
   • Dec 3: Scourge
7. Post 5 review links to the COYER Upside Down Linky. Each community semester, if you post 5 review links to the COYER Upside Down linky, you’ll get a point for supporting the community by reviewing books. You can complete this 1 time per semester.
8. Visit and comment on 10 reviews from the COYER Upside Down Linky. Each community semester, if you comment on 10 reviews from the COYER Upside Down linky, you’ll get a point for supporting the community by visiting reviews. You can complete this daily.
9. Top 10 group contributors. Every month, Berls will announce the top 10 contributors in the Facebook group (aggregated by Facebook based on number of comments in a 28 day period). If you’re in the top 10 for that month, you’ll get a point for that month. So commenting on posts and replying to other community members pays off.

For all these items, you only get the point if you log in it in Rafflecopter, so be sure to log it by the end of each semester!

It’s time to sign up for Chapter 1: It’s A Cold Summer

If you’re going to be joining in for COYER Upside Down Chapter 1, follow the instructions above and link up your sign up post below!

Remember, if you have questions you can post them in the comments below or in the Facebook Group.

We hope you’ll join us for a very special celebratory year for COYER!

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