Alicia’s Comments (group member since Dec 25, 2019)

Alicia’s comments from the Around the Year in 52 Books group.

I think Velvet said she may want to wait to resubmit her Going for the Gold prompt for a couple weeks.

Ooh can you share the discussions? Was it on the close calls?

I also liked the Zodiac lists you provided and found that a lot of them were on point! Don't know how they did it lol

Love Going for the Gold! I like that it can be interpreted a lot of different ways (gold cover, gold-rush book, book on the olympics, athletes, etc)

I really like intelligence too. I don't know what I would possibly read for it, but excited at being able to push my creativity there.

Also will be upvoting Henry VIII (it's my prompt), domestic service (like that this is something new that I haven't seen before), Audie award (feel I should since I almost exclusively listen to audiobooks now that I have a small human), goodreads "friend" (I don't think it'll get in, but I steal from a lot of your TBRs so thank you!).

So at least 6 upvotes for me!

June
1. Father's Day:
111 countries around the world celebrate Father's Day, with the most common date being the third Sunday in June, which was started by Sonora Smart Dodd in Spokane, Washington in 1910.
c. Author's initials can be found in PATERNITY = The Measure completed on July 3

2. Estival Solstice:
For the Northern Hemisphere the summer solstice on June 21st is the day with the longest period of daylight and shortest night of the year
c. Book is set in the Northern Hemisphere = The Diviners completed on June 4

3. Hibernal Solstice:
For the Southern Hemisphere the winter solstice on June 22nd is the day with the shortest period of daylight and longest night of the year.
a. Book that is at least 400 pages long = Manslaughter Park completed on July 10

4. Pride Month:
A month celebrating LGBT+ communities and their history which was started following the 1969 Stonewall Riots
a. Written by an author who identifies as LGBTQIA+ = Cemetery Boys completed on July 24

July
1.Let's Play:
Whether it's your summer or winter, it's always a good time to have some fun
a. First letter of the book's title is in HORSE AROUND = All the Sinners Bleed completed on June 28

2. Travel Season:
Armchair travelling is definitely the cheapest, but exploring in real life is nice too!
b. A book with a map = Fourth Wing completed on July 21

3. Halfway there!
a. Book with an even number of pages = The Lady of the Rivers completed on August 11

4. Turn Up the Radio:
Invented in the 1890s and probably much more fun now
b. Set in the 19th century = The Late Mrs. Willoughby completed on June 11

August
1. Book Lovers Day:
It's on August 9th, celebrate accordingly.
c. First letter of the book's title appears in BIBLIOMANIA = Babel: An Arcane History completed on August 4

2. Perseid Meteor Shower:
An annual meteor shower peaking around Aug 11-12. According to the American Meteor Society this year will be a particularly good year for viewing.
c. Inspired by or retelling myths = Clytemnestra completed on July 27

3. Make Waves:
Fun fact: about 2.5 million Americans are employed in ocean-based tourism and recreation (as of 2018).
c. A sea creature is on the cover = The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi completed on July 7

4. Go Camping:
Fun fact: The American National Park Service employs approximately 20,000 people (full time, part time and seasonal).
a. A book connected to birds, bees, or bunnies = Love, Theoretically completed on July 13

A book related to the British rhyme about Henry VIII's six wives:
"Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived"

It could be a book about:

- divorced a character that is divorced or separated, books with blended families
What Alice Forgot, The Girl on the Train, House of Earth and Blood

- beheaded a murder mystery or domestic thriller

- died could also be murder mystery or domestic thriller, but could also be where someone dies early on in the book or a memoir of someone currently dead
(these are NOT spoilers My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry, Harry Potter's parents, The Autobiography of Malcolm X)

- survived survival stories, dystopian books, surviving a tragedy of some sort, “final girl” trope
The Hunger Games, Life of Pi, The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, The Final Girl Support Group

- Henry VIII and/or his wives


Emily, if this gets seconded, you can copy and paste all the info from this doc: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o...

Thomas wrote: "I’m currently really wanting to read the Final Girl Support Group"

I really enjoy Grady Hendrix's books. If you are interested in a light horror I would also recommend The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires

I’m disappointed moon phases didn’t make it but otherwise happy. I only upvoted touch of magic, but I did like JQXZ because it can be an easy prompt for those that want to go with J or harder with the other letters/combinations.

Did we have this many prompts by poll 6 last year?

I no will put the rhyme in for suggestions. I’m just wondering if it did get in if it would make it in the final wording because it is so so long.

I agree with Nancy J that I like landmark. This could include some commercial buildings, but could also be broader to natural wonders as well like the Grand Canyon. I think I would read a book about the Taj Mahal or Machu Picchu if it got in.

I also like the broader interpretation of landmark cases/discoveries.

Thomas wrote: "Sorry what is “ final girl”?"

Like The Final Girl Support Group. It's a trope about how there is always one girl that survives a serial killer movie/story. Think the Scream movie franchise

Oh I'm so glad people are interested in the prompt, but more importantly, going to see the musical!!

For wording of the prompt, how do these sound?

A book related to the rhyme about Henry VIII's six wives:
Divorced, beheaded, died
Divorced, beheaded, survived

OR

A book related to the British rhyme about Henry VIII's six wives:
Divorced, beheaded, died
Divorced, beheaded, survived

I'm guessing if it made it in the italicized part would be cut out. But I'm not sure:

1/ if the bolded part alone makes sense without context
2/ is clear that the book doesn't have to include ALL of the poem, but can just be one aspect of it, like divorce.

Robin P wrote: "Alicia wrote: "Ok this may be a weird prompt, but I just saw Six the Musical about Henry VIIIs wives and have all the songs stuck in my head.

I was wondering if anyone would be interested in a pr..."

I'm actually going to take my mom and aunt to see it again, especially now that I've listened to the soundtrack multiple times and googled the lyrics.

It was a definite concert and I was fan-girling the whole time. The queens match with the following pop-queens:

Katharine of Aragon = Beyonce
Anne Boleyn = Lily Allen-esque
Jane Seymour = Adele
Anne of Cleves = I thought Lizzo, but the program said someone else I can't remember. I think Rihanna
Catherine Howard = Ariana Grande/Britney Spears
Catherine Parr = Alicia Keys

I had a lot of feelings for this week. I went with 4 up and 4 down.

My 4 ups were:
- a catchphrase: I'd read a cozy mystery with a fun pun
- traditional full moon names: just love the creativity of tying books to this
- summertime blues
- touch of magic

If I had more votes, I would have upvoted JQZX and author/character with a gender neutral name (I call my daughter Charlie)

Tracy wrote: "re: Henry VIII wives rhyme - interesting idea!

I’m not really a murder mystery person, but would be ok if it weren’t really heavy and disturbing (wouldn’t have to be a cozy, but I could try that t..."

So I thought beheaded was a bit dark, which is why I liked that someone didn't have to go the murder mystery route. You could choose a Henry VIII and/or wives book or a book focused more on the divorced or survived part where no one dies.

Ok this may be a weird prompt, but I just saw Six the Musical about Henry VIIIs wives and have all the songs stuck in my head.

I was wondering if anyone would be interested in a prompt about a book related to the the popular British rhyme for these wives (obviously not this terrible wording)

Divorced, beheaded, died
Divorced, beheaded, survived

It could be a book about:

- Henry VIII and/or his wives

- divorced a character that is divorced or separated, books with blended families
What Alice Forgot, The Girl on the Train, House of Earth and Blood

- beheaded a murder mystery or domestic thriller

- died could also be murder mystery or domestic thriller, but could also be where someone dies early on in the book or a memoir of someone currently dead
(these are NOT spoilers My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry, Harry Potter's parents, The Autobiography of Malcolm X)

- survived survival stories, dystopian books, surviving a tragedy of some sort
The Hunger Games, Life of Pi, The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

Oh ha I’ve never heard it as an insult. But now I kinda want to call someone I don’t like “salty fish paste”.

Am I the only one confused about marmite. I keep thinking of the spread you put on toast. Lol

Ooh Amanda, you’ve moved catchphrase to a definite yes! I loveee cozy mysteries.

Tracy wrote: "I know we just picked a list of suggestions earlier today, but a new idea popped up for me.

This idea could be considered either a Goodreads/Recommendation Prompt or a List Prompt.

How about A bo..."

I steal from Nancy's and Irene's TBR all the time lol. I also accept friend requests if mine interests anyone.

I like this play on the friend/Goodreads/ATY group prompt.