Had so much fun being one of the judges for @tournamentofbooks.com

Definitely check out all of the judgements and add to your TBR pile!

A huge thanks to all of this year’s judges, including
@wordsinteal.bsky.social @sarahmccarry.bsky.social @bookjockeyalex.bsky.social @lilliamr.bsky.social @deeshaphilyaw.bsky.social @cassandralane.bsky.social @susannahbreslin.bsky.social!

The 2026 Championship — The Tournament of Books Our judges assemble to decide which book takes home the Rooster in the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

It's the championship match at the 2026 Tournament of Books presented by @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social! Today, all our judges convene to decide which title takes home this year's Rooster! www.tournamentofbooks.com/2026/champio...

Flesh v. Endling — The Tournament of Books Katya Apekina judges the final match of the Zombie Round at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

Today, the Zombie Round concludes as Katya Apekina makes our final call ahead of tomorrow’s championship at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social! www.tournamentofbooks.com/2026/flesh-v...

The Passenger Seat v. The Burning Heart of the World — The Tournament of Books Leon Hendrix kicks off the Zombie Round at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

The Zombie Round begins today as Leon Hendrix dons the judge’s robes in the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social! www.tournamentofbooks.com/2026/the-pas...

The Catch v. Flesh — The Tournament of Books Susannah Breslin makes the final call in the semifinals at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

The semifinals wrap as @susannahbreslin.bsky.social decides today’s match at the 2026 Tournament of Books presented by @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social—plus, the zombies are revealed! www.tournamentofbooks.com/2026/the-cat...

The Passenger Seat v. The Wilderness — The Tournament of Books Danny Abel kicks off the semifinals at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

Today! Danny Abel is our judge as the semifinals begin at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social www.tournamentofbooks.com/2026/the-pas...

Yes! This is all exactly how it works. Or supposed to, anyway, since one year we accidentally (but only briefly!) freed the zombies a day early while updating the site brackets, nearly spoiling a match

Zombies can be bad, spoiled zombies worse so

Flesh v. The Ten Year Affair — The Tournament of Books Neelanjana Banerjee makes the final call in the quarterfinals at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

Today → It’s the final match of the quarterfinals, and Neelanjana Banerjee is here to adjudicate at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social! www.tournamentofbooks.com/2026/flesh-v...

Katabasis v. The Catch — The Tournament of Books Cassandra Lane makes today’s call at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

Today, @cassandralane.bsky.social kicks off week three at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social! www.tournamentofbooks.com/2026/katabas...

The March Madness of books!!!

The Wilderness v. The Unveiling — The Tournament of Books Deesha Philyaw judges today’s match at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

In today’s match, @deeshaphilyaw.bsky.social closes out week two at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social! www.tournamentofbooks.com/2026/the-wil...

The Passenger Seat v. Endling — The Tournament of Books Geoff Manaugh kicks off the quarterfinals at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

The quarterfinals begin today with Geoff Manaugh at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social! www.tournamentofbooks.com/2026/the-pas...

The Ten Year Affair v. If You Love It, Let it Kill You — The Tournament of Books Lilliam Rivera makes the final call in the opening round at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

Now live at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social: In today’s match, @lilliamr.bsky.social closes out the opening round! www.tournamentofbooks.com/2026/the-ten...

!!

Flesh v. Blob — The Tournament of Books Sam Macon decides today’s match at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

@sammacon.bsky.social makes today’s call at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social!

www.tournamentofbooks.com/2026/flesh-v...

The Catch v. The Director — The Tournament of Books Natalie Shapero makes the call in today’s match at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

Week two begins as Natalie Shapero makes today’s call at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social! www.tournamentofbooks.com/2026/the-cat...

Katabasis v. The Burning Heart of the World — The Tournament of Books Alex Brown decides today’s match at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

I was knocked out in the first round of @tournamentofbooks.com, but the commentary was interesting

www.tournamentofbooks.com/2026/katabas...

Tbh this made me want to load up my reading list with a lot more speculative fiction

Katabasis v. The Burning Heart of the World — The Tournament of Books Alex Brown decides today’s match at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

Now live! @bookjockeyalex.bsky.social judges today’s match at the 2026 Tournament of Books presented by @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social → www.tournamentofbooks.com/2026/katabas...

Ah yes, it soared like Icarus near the dazzling sun of creativity

(I personally didn’t read it, but others here did, and it was much-loved!)

This many years in, and judges are still finding ways to make their own, new rules. So good to see!

SO GOOD

❤️

"I like the capacious and the unruly; the weird; the plotty and its opposite, the entirely vibes-based; the rampant deployment of the semicolon. I like books that spill over, that put out tendrils, that revel in unrepentant maximalism"

SARAH COMING IN HOT (and right) (okay now to read the rest)

Too Soon v. The Unveiling — The Tournament of Books Sarah McCarry judges today’s match at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

Now live! @sarahmccarry.bsky.social wields the gavel today at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social www.tournamentofbooks.com/2026/too-soo...

The Wilderness v. Metallic Realms — The Tournament of Books Sarah Anjum Bari makes the call in today’s match at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

Now live: @wordsinteal.bsky.social judges today’s match at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social → www.tournamentofbooks.com/2026/the-wil...

Endling v. The Buffalo Hunter Hunter — The Tournament of Books Nicholas Bredie wields the gavel in today’s match at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

The quarterfinals continue in today’s match at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social! www.tournamentofbooks.com/2026/endling...

What We Can Know v. The Passenger Seat — The Tournament of Books Tomi Onabanjo kicks off the opening round at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

The opening round is now live at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social! www.tournamentofbooks.com/2026/what-we...

The 2026 Play-in Match — The Tournament of Books Spencer Williams judges the play-in match at the 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by Field Notes.

Now live! The 2026 Tournament of Books, presented by @fieldnotesbrand.bsky.social → www.tournamentofbooks.com/2026/play-in...