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

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

dalex wrote: "Alicia wrote: "My friend just sent me the new Leigh Bardugo novel and it's perfect for an insect on the cover.

"

Do you mean they sent you information about the..."

Sorry, sent me a promo post from Leigh Bardugo. I've never had an ARC, I'm very uncool lol

My friend just sent me the a post for the new Leigh Bardugo novel and it's perfect for an insect on the cover.

Actually they had names before the Disney film. The way the prompt is worded, you don’t have to use the names from the Disney movie. It could be any names that have been used really in any adaptation

I’d also go on a limb and say if it’s still something that specific that a majority of people know to this day (unlike probably Mysteries of Udolpho) then it’s still part of modern pop-culture even if it’s a classic book. Same with Dracula. And part of that is because it’s been adapted to movies, but it’s still a relevant pop-culture icon in todays world regardless of when it was published.

I don’t think of pop culture as having to be current pop culture. I think of it as something that was popular by a given culture at a point of time, and more narrowly a specific entertainment topic.

So thinking of regency England, gothic novels were popular. But for purposes of our challenge prompts, I wouldn’t consider gothic novels to be pop culture. A prompt based on Mysteries of Udolpho, yes.

I agree with dalex. Usually I want more pop culture prompts on the list, but this year I feel like we have A LOT. I don’t know if I’d vote for another one. I actually miss some of our “less creative” prompts about colors and objects. Some is the key word lol

Nike, that’s actually like the least. I’d recommend starting with the Beartown series or anxious people

Just finished the Family Game. Put it under entertainment & arts (the games and her being a writer). That completes the second round of Trivial Pursuit

Such a great time with all of you!!

I’m with you Dubhease. I just assumed everyone read as many Canadian and Australian authors. I know the US and UK are powerhouses, but I assumed canada and Australia were right behind them. But maybe that’s just my Goodreads algorithm lol

But the prompt isn’t translated to English. It’s just a translated book. So it could be an English book translated to a different language.

I'll be honest, I don't know if broadening it to any country that has English as an official language is that exciting. I guess I don't see how that really connects to books or why we really care what the official languages are of countries.

I actually don't know if I've read a New Zealand author before, but I actually read a lot of Canadian and Australian authors. I'd actually say many of my favorite authors are Australian, so for me this is a very easy prompt.

Overall, there isn't much on the list that really excites me off the bat. I'll upvote Masterpiece, pet and anti-hero/heroine.

I don't think Scarlet O'Hara is an anti-hero at all! I mean, she's racist BUT she's white in 1860s Atlanta. It's not a fantasy book. And everything she does is for her family and Tara.

I will say I'm a bit bias as Scarlet is one of my favorite characters of all time. She's not sweet and innocent, she's resourceful, smart, driven, cares about her family, and is a kick-ass businesswoman. Frank Kennedy's business would have been a mess without her, her sisters would have been dead, the family farm lost.

Just put my hours in. I’ll finish Family Game tomorrow. Just stayed up to listen to krampusnacht lol

100% agree it helps me decide what to read next

Sonia, I think it depends and is different for every person. When I started the challenges it was to help me read different genres. I’ve definitely expanded my reading, but I don’t do that as much now as I feel I do read more broadly by habit. That said I also don’t look at my current TBR go decide prompts. I’m more open to where a prompt takes me.

My sole purpose is just things I think will be fun to find or different ways I can be creative

Completed:

A book with 400+ pages - The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies 464 pages
A book featuring a cover that contains fall colors - I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
A book set in NYC - The Age of Innocence
A book with less than 250 pages - Things We Lost in the Fire 192 pages

Ok starting the family game. It’ll be my last book but I’ll finish it by Sunday to put somewhere

I’m going to use it to read a book about a professional athlete and/or Olympics but that’s not very creative either.

Thomas wrote: "Dubhease wrote: "I voted for one, was neutral on the other, and still don't know what makes a mystery cozy from all the ones on my TBR list. I may just read a mystery."

Dubhease- in its simplest f..."

I'd also add no explicit sex scenes, probably no sex at all but if so it happens off the page

I’ve found a nice of regency mysteries with women amateur sleuths. They are definitely cozy mysteries with a bit of regency love, of course.