Poll

How the series readathon works:
- We read 1 book of the series each month.
- You have the WHOLE MONTH to read that book. Then we move onto the next book the next month.
- You read individually at your own pace, that’s why you have the whole month.
- Each book has its own discussion page and we all discuss as we read things that we want to discuss.
- There’s no need to sign up or anything, just join in when you can.
- You can also join in in later months and catch up!

We've had some successful series readathons in 2020 (Lockwood & Co) and some with not so much interest (Fablehaven and Blackthorn Key) that's why it's really important that you vote for what you're interested in reading or you think others would be interested in and NOT for what's popular or what you've already read.

Also, voting isn't a declaration that you're going to take part. You can still vote even if you know you won't take part!

I wrote in Masterminds by Gordon Korman, but I don't know how to put the link in, sorry! I'm super excited for this though!

@Spencer not to worry I've fixed it for you! Also Masterminds sounds really good. Even if it doesn't win I'm going to read it!

This was a difficult choice! I had to choose between Keeper of the Lost Cities, a series I've been meaning to read, and Land of Stories, a series I've been meaning to reread so I can finally finish it (it's been too long for me to just continue with what I haven't read yet).

So here's me expressing interest for Land of Stories as well, though my vote went to Keeper of the Lost Cities!

Serafina and the Black Cloak is one of my favorite books of all time! Anyone who hasn't read it should definitely give it a go! I voted for KOTLC because it's up there on my TBR and it seems like everyone's been talking about it lately XD

Serafina and the black cloak I have been meaning to read for forever!

I put in for the Gryphon Chronicles but even if it's not voted the winner, here is where you can get the set of the first two books free today!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...

I don't know how to make my write in so it will process votes!

I voted for Keeper of the Lost Cities but I would love to read The Unwanteds as well!

Ilsen wrote: "I voted for Keeper of the Lost Cities but I would love to read The Unwanteds as well!"

I'm surprised The Unwanteds isn't the second most voted for but Keeper of the Lost Cities seems to be a clear favourite! I'm also interested in reading The Unwanteds but less so for KotLC, I've got my eyes on Book Scavenger and 100 Cupboards instead...

I was also expecting the Unwanteds to be high up there. (That was my vote!) The only reason I didn't vote for KotLC is because I am already reading it! (Book 5 right now.) And will be finished in March of 2021 at the rate I go. It's a good series and I am excited for anyone starting it soon (assuming it wins)

I've been wanting to read Serafina for a long time. I went to a book signing of the author with my daughter, and it was cool.

I've been super intrigued by The Unwanteds before but I read a sample and even a hundred pages in, the writing was just not for me. I hear it gets really good by the 3rd book but...it's the third book so. I've read TLOS and while it has been a favorite and I'd recommend it any day, I feel like I've outgrown it? The writing style is for REALLY young MG but storywise, it's absolutely fun (Books 4-6 are kind of a mixed bag for me but they're still very good.) I'm glad a few people voted for Masterminds because it's one of my favorite series of all time and even if it doesn't win, I'm down to discuss it with those who do choose to read it eventually. Voted for KOTLC because I watched someone completely gush with love over it on YouTube and now I have to read it!!

@Spencer this is wonderful insight thank you!! Yeah with The Unwanteds and the Keeper of the Lost Cities I did worry that because the series are both so long if either gets voted the most then people (or myself) 1. might lose interest as the months go on or 2. won't like the first book and then the rest of the readathon is hosted for no reason or I'll have to change the readathon after 1 month.

Sorry what's TLOS? Can't figure it out! I didn't vote for Masterminds, I voted for Book Scavenger but Masterminds does look very interesting like a good solid mystery series! I think I'll end up reading it by myself anyway at some point now that I've added it to my TBR

@Audrey meeting an author is always such a cool experience!

It's The Land of Stories! Sorry my phone keyboard hates me so I have to use the abbreviations sometimes haha

@Spencer oooh honestly I should’ve guessed😂 and I completely agree! I saw the first book in a book store once and flipped through it and it’s much too young I think it’s children’s literature in my opinion not really middle grade. People often confuse the two but there’s quite an obvious distinction when you come across books written like this

I don't know if I'm supposed to suggest series, but I'm going to suggest 3.
- Framed series - 3 books rated 4.40 and higher on Goodreads
- Case Closed series - 3 books rated 4.21 and higher on Goodreads. These books are called "Pick Your Path" like Choose Your Own Adventure books
- Mr. Lemoncello's Library series - 5 books - rated 4.22 and higher on Goodreads.

If not, maybe these might be choices for future readathons and I will vote for Book Scavenger.

I wrote one in but it didn't show up.
I would suggest:
Because of Mr. Terupt - 3 books
The Perfect Score - 3 books

I loved Mr. Lemoncello and Book Scavenger and would be willing to read them again :)

Kadi wrote: "@Spencer oooh honestly I should’ve guessed😂 and I completely agree! I saw the first book in a book store once and flipped through it and it’s much too young I think it’s children’s literature in my..."

Maybe it’s because I’m Dutch and we categorize books differently, but to me it didn’t really read all that young? Nor does it look it, given the Children’s Literature I’m used to over here; it’s shelved with the B books which is where MG is found over here. This of course doesn’t mean you’re wrong, btw 😂 You’re probably right, even. Sometimes it’s just different you know. Like Warrior Cats. It’s MG afaik but man sometimes you’re like this is brutal 😳😳

I dunno, ignore me. It’s 4:20am and I woke up unable to fall back asleep so my brain is all mush 😅

honestly all of these series look great! i had a hard time voting lol

@Carmen Yeah, I think TLOS still middle-grade even though I thought (maybe just my taste) that some of the dialogue was really cheesey especially in the first few books. Also, there were too many italicized words, but maybe that's more the author's style than the target demographic. I do love the Land of Stories to death, I just think comparing it to more popular MG books (for example, Harry Potter and Percy Jackson), it definitely has a more childlike feel to it.

Spencer wrote: "@Carmen Yeah, I think TLOS still middle-grade even though I thought (maybe just my taste) that some of the dialogue was really cheesey especially in the first few books. Also, there were too many i..."

I think just like in YA there is ‘lower’ and ‘upper’ MG, and TLOS is in the lower category? I do think it grows older so to speak as the series continues. Not as much as Harry Potter, where age range changes as you go on (I can’t in good conscience call most of the series MG, especially not the final two, haha!) or even Percy Jackson, which definitely gets more mature as the universe goes on.

It’s been a while since I read TLOS (hence me having to reread before I can continue) so I have no idea about italics (which I’d say is definitely style) or cheesy dialogue. I think it got better with each book, though 🤔

To be honest I don’t mind if a MG has a bit of a childlike feel to it- they are children after all, which I often tend to forget with a lot of MG fantasy! Like Harry was eleven<:i> in Philosopher’s Stone I mean what?? 😂

@Carmen hahaha I have to agree with Harry Potter getting much more YA especially book 6 with pretty much everyone getting a good dose of puberty. I think TLOS would be just a touch "older" than some of the Goosebumps books. Like it has a good amount of light-heartedness while not shying away from getting dark in certain scenes.

Although the first few HP books are technically MG I feel like the writing style makes it seem less so. It's why everyone reads it because the writing style is so uniquely great it's like reading an MG book that almost isn't an MG book. I think the writing style is really revealing of what kind of book it's going to be. Often lower MG books/children's books are only labelled so because of the simplistic writing style which I feel like The Wishing Spell had, although I could be wrong I only flicked through it and read a few parts a couple of years ago so my memory could be wrong!

Lynn wrote: "I don't know if I'm supposed to suggest series, but I'm going to suggest 3. "

Lynn it hasn't actually counted your vote for Book Scavenger or any of the options! Let me know if there's been some mistake and try voting again!
Also I loved the T.O.A.S.T. series! James Ponti even reached out to me after I reviewed the last book of the series which was an amazing honour. It seems like you're a mystery lover like me! This isn't anything to do with the series readathon but maybe you'd like these books: Running Girl and Half-Moon Investigations. OMG I HAVE JUST DISCOVERED THE 3RD BOOK IN THE GARVIE SMITH SERIES IS OUT. IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU I WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN!! I'M SO EXCITED AAAAH!!

I really enjoyed the first two books of The underland chronicles (haven't gotten further). Highly recommend that series.

@Robin a friend recommended the first book to me saying he loved it so that's why I added it to the poll! I'd love to read it too

So many great choices!! I was between Book Scavenger (which I voted for) and Keeper of Lost Cities! But all of these sound great!

Kadi wrote: "Lynn wrote: "I don't know if I'm supposed to suggest series, but I'm going to suggest 3. "

Lynn it hasn't actually counted your vote for Book Scavenger or any of the options! Let me know if there'..."

Thanks. I just voted.

Kadi wrote: "Lynn wrote: "I don't know if I'm supposed to suggest series, but I'm going to suggest 3. "

Lynn it hasn't actually counted your vote for Book Scavenger or any of the options! Let me know if there'..."

is another one of those books I've had on my shelf for years and never read - probably because I didn't care for . I've never heard of , so I'm going to see if my library has that one.

By the way, by 2021 the KOTLC series will have nine books by 2020. Book 8.5 is coming out in a few days. And then there will be one last book which I believe is scheduled to release late 2021

M.L. wrote: "So many great choices!! I was between Book Scavenger (which I voted for) and Keeper of Lost Cities! But all of these sound great!"

I was thinking we might even have time to do both Book Scavenger and Keeper of the Lost Cities because although the latter has the most votes so far, the former is the one I voted for and I'm intrigued about

Lynn wrote: "Half-Moon Investigations is another one of those books I've had on my shelf for years and never read..."

Makes sense, but Half Moon Investigations is completely different than Artemis Fowl. Literally everything from the genre to the protagonist to even the writing style, it's like those books are written by 2 completely different people!

If you read Running Girl I'd be so happy! I love it when people read books I love and it's a bonus if they end up loving it too!

Bella wrote: "By the way, by 2021 the KOTLC series will have nine books by 2020. Book 8.5 is coming out in a few days. And then there will be one last book which I believe is scheduled to release late 2021"

I actually noticed this! I thought we could possibly add the latest book to the readathon when it comes out but then I'm not sure if a .5 mini book deserves a whole month and how many people would want to read it/would be able to get a copy if that's when it juse comes out... I don't know we'll see when we get to it!

Much as I love, and think everyone should read, Circle of Magic, they are near impossible to get hold of in the UK. Audiobooks are on Scribd/Audible, but for physical books best bet is eBay.

@Victoria shame it hasn’t even gotten 1 vote! At this point I reckon there’s a clear winner but I’m still going to keep inviting people because I thought the same last time and then more people voted and a different series won!

Kadi wrote: "@Victoria shame it hasn’t even gotten 1 vote! At this point I reckon there’s a clear winner but I’m still going to keep inviting people because I thought the same last time and then more people vot..."
It’s sad, because I really love them. Reread my 20 year old copies at the beginning of the year along with the audiobooks. Maybe no one voted for it because we’ve all read them...?

@Victoria no I haven't read it. I'd never even heard of it until someone added it to the poll! I reckon what happened is whoever wrote it in then changed their vote to another book which left Circle of Magic with 0 votes.

The Land of Stories is one I’ve been wanting to read!

@Michelle maybe we can read that one sometime in the future!

Kadi wrote: "Lynn wrote: "I don't know if I'm supposed to suggest series, but I'm going to suggest 3. "

Lynn it hasn't actually counted your vote for Book Scavenger or any of the options! Let me know if there'..."

I'm glad I could help.

Kadi wrote: "Lynn wrote: "Half-Moon Investigations is another one of those books I've had on my shelf for years and never read..."

Makes sense, but Half Moon Investigations is completely differen..."

I liked the mystery in , but the lack of character development left me a little cold. Thanks for the recommendation, though. One of the best things about these discussion groups is being exposed to new books and authors.

@Lynn wow I can’t believe you actually read it! I’m always recommending books to people but they don’t read them. Maybe that’s because they’re usually not big readers like us😂

I completely agree there is a lack of character development, Garvie stays cool and kinda uncaring throughout except for one or two moments but that actually made me love it even more. It’s very unconventional and it does reflect on Garvie’s genius levels that he’s not easily willing to change his personality. And then again it’s all about the mystery and less so about the character’s personalities which is something I love because the mystery was great in Running Girl.

Are you going to read book 2 in the series? In my opinion it wasn’t a solid sequel. I mean how can you top book 1 when it was thaaat good? But I haven’t read book 3 yet I’m hoping to read it in January and maybe that one will be back to the fantasticness of book 1