judging the fiction booktube prize for the first time | how did my favorites do?

TL;DR

BookTuber daboki judges the fiction section of the BookTube Prize OCTA finals and shares her experience of branching out from non-fiction and romance genres.

Transcript

hi I'm daboki and this is okey-dokey Pokey and today I'm here to talk about the booktube prize OCTA finals which I judged and this is my third year I think yes of judging the booktube prize but the twist the big twist is that usually uh at least in the past two times that I've done the booktube prize I only judge the non-fiction sections but this y... Read More

Key Insights

• 🧑‍⚖️ Daboki decided to judge both fiction and non-fiction sections of the BookTube Prize to broaden her reading habits and challenge herself.
• 🤔 While the fiction section lacked books that Daboki strongly disliked, it provided an opportunity for her to think deeper about what she enjoyed in fiction.
• 📔 Daboki found "Vagabonds" to be the most memorable and immersive book in the fiction section, with its blend of mythology and human stories.
• ✍️ Daboki appreciated the writing in "The Book of Goose" and "Lucy by the Sea" for their compelling characters and emotional depth.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why did Daboki decide to judge both the fiction and non-fiction sections this year?

Daboki wanted to see if the skills she developed from judging non-fiction books would also be applicable to judging fiction. She wanted to challenge herself and explore different genres.

Q: Did Daboki enjoy judging the fiction section of the BookTube Prize?

Yes, Daboki had a positive experience judging the fiction section. Although she didn't strongly dislike any of the books, she had to give honest rankings based on her preferences. She appreciated the opportunity to engage with fiction and broaden her reading habits.

Q: Which book ranked the lowest in Daboki's rankings?

"Either Or" by LF Batumen ranked the lowest in Daboki's rankings. While she had potential to love the book, the subject matter and references to classics made it challenging for her to fully engage with the story.

Q: Which book did Daboki rank the highest?

"Vagabonds" by Eligosa Ojomo ranked as Daboki's favorite book. She praised its unique blend of mythology, fantasy, and human stories. The book offered an immersive experience and left a lasting impact on her.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Daboki usually judges the non-fiction section of the BookTube Prize, but decided to judge both fiction and non-fiction this year.

• She realized that judging non-fiction helped her articulate what makes a good non-fiction book, so she wanted to apply the same principles to judging fiction.

• Over the years, she has focused on non-fiction and romance genres, but felt the need to branch out and explore more fiction.