4.0
rating
Ludopedia
6.8
rating
BGG
Our Verdict
RECOMMENDED
The perfect party starter if you have a bookshelf full of books!
Highlights
- Instant fun with any book
- Exciting book-swapping mechanic
- Simple and very fast rules
- Great for large groups
Keep in mind
- Highly dependent on book language
- Can be chaotic for competitive players
Rules manual not indexed yet
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About the game
What you do in a play session
You know that old book gathering dust on your shelf? Well, it just became your new favorite toy! In Bring Your Own Book, the fun isn't about what's inside the box, but what you already have at home. The concept is brilliant and incredibly simple: every player chooses any book and uses it as their personal search board. The goal is to find text snippets that match the prompts drawn from the deck. Imagine this: someone draws a card asking for 'the funniest name for a pizza topping' and you have to scan the pages of your microwave manual to find something that fits. Speed is everything! As soon as someone finds a matching text, they shout 'I've got it!' and starts the timer. Once time is up, everyone reads their findings, and the active player acts as the judge, picking the most creative or hilarious answer to win the card. The game has a delightful chaotic twist: once someone collects three cards, everyone passes their book to the player on their left, meaning you'll be dealing with completely different and unpredictable books throughout the game. This keeps the dynamic fresh and ensures no one stays idle. It's the perfect game for gathering friends, grabbing any stack of books, and laughing non-stop. Just a heads-up: since the gameplay depends on the text, the language you read is what will set the pace of the fun!
Gallery
Box and component photos
Tap any photo to open fullscreen. Photos submitted by the community or publisher.
Rules videos
Learn by watching before you open the box
Best player count
BGG community vote
3
REC
4
REC
5
BEST
6
BEST
7
REC
8
REC
Soundtrack
Ambience suggested by Melodice
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Mechanics, categories, families and credits
Mechanics
Categories
Families
Publisher
(Self-Published), frechverlag, Gamewright, Happy Camper, MINDOK, Noris Spiele, Scholastic Inc., 株式会社ケンビル (KenBill)
Designer
Matthew Moore
Artist
Lena Sofie Schmitt, Luke Nalker, Serge Seidlitz, TANSAN Inc.
Community
Data from BoardGameGeek
2,201owners
401wishlist
69want to play
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers before you buy
How long does a game take?
It's super quick! Usually between 20 to 30 minutes.
How many players can join?
The fun scales from 3 up to 8 players.
Do I need to buy any books?
Nope! The game is designed for you to use the books you already own.
How complex is the game?
Very low. It's a party game, easy for any age.
Does it work in English?
Yes, but remember the gameplay depends on the language of the books you use.
What happens when someone gets 3 cards?
Everyone passes their book to the player on their left.
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