***Message from the mod re: July group read***

[Juanita]

The winning book for the July group read had three votes. Count 'em: one, two, three. In total, we had 12 votes cast in the entire poll.

I think I'm calling it a "pick your own book month" but wanted to give everyone a chance to weigh in. Do you want a thread for the group-specific book (Everything I Never Told You) or are you good with cancelling the group read and leaving the monthly challenge as a pick your own book?

Also, I feel like the idea of the group read is not working so it's either in my planning or just not part of the culture of our group.

Please discuss all points. :)

Juanita

[Mike]

As one of those three votes, I plan to read it.

To be honest, I had voted for another book, but when I saw that there were three books tied for the lead with two votes each, I changed my vote at the last minute to the book that I felt I would enjoy most.

I thought that the group read was working fine, but I may be in denial.

[Megan]

Looking ahead: August is what we haven't read since High School, and September is related to our jobs - both seem difficult to do a group read on (more so the job one). Maybe a small hiatus will help with the group reads?

[Juanita]

Mike wrote: "I thought that the group read was working fine."

Thanks for the reassurance. I needed it. ;-) (really)

[Mike]

[[Hugs]]

[Sara]

I like the idea of the group read, but the two books selected so far just weren't for me. One I had zero interest in, and the other I read last year and didn't particularly like. Even though I didn't vote for the winning book, it had been on my reading list. I wouldn't mind taking a stab at it and participating in the group :)

[Charlotte]

I didn't vote for the winning book either but I'll still read it. I have this category open so I'm willing to do any suggestion and this book was also on my TBR list.

[Anna]

I voted for a different book, but I'll participate in the group read once my hold comes through from the library. (Should be next week.)

[Marta]

To be honest, summer books just don't interest me so I was going to sit this out. I slotted Cold Comfort Farm into that category, most of it took part in the summer.

[Juanita]

You guys are so awesome!

I'm in for this challenge too as I don't have a summer book picked out.

[Nadine in NY]

I'm not really a big Group Read person, I can't seem to figure out how to discuss a book with a group while I'm reading it. If it's a book I was about to read anyway, then I try. (I read Girl on Train last year, and I tried to do the group discussion thing here last month but I think I failed miserably.) Also, I read and hated "Everything I Never Told You," fwiw. But everyone else seems to love it.

ALL THAT SAID - I think the way it's being run is just fine! You are a great mod!! I think we all just need to get used to it and find our balance. We have a really good group here with a small core of active people.

[Nadine in NY]

(Looks like I was one of two votes for A Hundred Summers. That was a book I added to my TBR list solely because I saw it on the poll and had to look it up and it looked like a really good summer read! But my list of "books to read on my two week summer vacation in August" is like THIRTY books long at this point, so ... I have no idea what I'll end up reading.)

[Mindy]

Gosh I feel like a heel for not voting! I don't know how I missed it as I just love polls. LOL Oh wait...now I remember. I was in France and then I was in the hospital in Atlanta for five days. (I live in Tucson.) June just wasn't my month!

Juanita, I like the monthly group read idea and think you are super nice and great. Don't be discouraged! Maybe June was just a busy month for everybody. I've already read the July selection and I loved it and I pledge to try to participate in the discussion. Also I don't plan to go anywhere or get sick any time soon, so I'll be all over the August vote. :-)