Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

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Archives > [2018] Voting for 7th Mini-Poll

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message 1: by Laura, Celestial Sphere Mod (last edited Aug 13, 2017 04:40PM) (new)

Laura | 3780 comments Mod
Voting is now open!

The entire Around the Year challenge list is generated by the group members. We enjoyed the process so much in the past two years that we are creating another list for 2018.

The Process:
The topics for the 2018 RC list will be determined through around 13 mini-polls. Each user will vote for their favorite 4 topics in each mini-poll, which will then add up to the 52 topics (13 polls x 4 topics/poll=52 weekly topics). Suggestions for each poll will be opened until 15-20 suggestions are received+seconded. Then a poll will be opened for voting for one week so you can select your 4 favorite suggestions. This timeframe allows for a completed list in October-November.

The Rules:
- Voting ends August 17
- One vote per poll per user

Poll Entries
- A book with one of the "Clue" weapons on the cover (i.e. lead pipe, revolver, rope, candlestick, dagger, or wrench)
- A book that is an Audie Award winner or nominee (any format)
- A book originally written in a language other than English
- A book, any genre, dealing with loss and grief (death, terminal illness, loss of pet, loss of home, divorce, etc)
- A book that's title makes you chuckle
- A play
- A book with a number in the title
- A book with a contradiction/antonym in the title
- The book with the lowest rating on your TBR
- A book recommended by your local librarian
- A book set in a location that is not found on the 2017 ATY Group Map
- A book by an author who uses initials
- A book that is published in a year that has a "5" in it (1995, 2005, etc.)
- An author's debut book (their first book to be published)
- A book in which the protagonist has an animal companion
- A book related to one of the seven deadly sins (pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, sloth)
- A book about a dragon (or can be on cover, in title or author's name)
- A book with at least one million ratings on Goodreads
- A chick-lit book
- A book narrated by a kid (12 years old or less)

Helpful Links:
- A book by an author who uses initials: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
- Audie Award Winners: https://www.goodreads.com/award/show/...
- Loss and Grief: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
- Title that makes you chuckle: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
- Antonym Titles: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...
- Group Reading Map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/vie...
- Seven Deadly Sins: http://flavorwire.com/339889/the-seve...

Survey Link


message 3: by Jillian (new)

Jillian | 2928 comments Not sure why the hate to love element link is here since that prompt did not get seconded.


message 4: by Peter (new)

Peter | -28 comments Uggghhhh. If I could have chosen "chick-lit" for all 4 of my bottom choices I would have.

Otherwise this was a great selection of topics and I liked almost all of them.


message 5: by Jillian (new)

Jillian | 2928 comments I followed the suggestion in the last poll to make a spreadsheet. It made voting much easier. I'm really looking forward to the shorten wait time for results. The past few polls I have had a decent idea of a few that would make the top but this one I have no idea.

Peter- I don't think chick-lit will be in the top but I have been wrong before.


message 6: by Laura, Celestial Sphere Mod (new)

Laura | 3780 comments Mod
Jillian, link removed. Mods make mistakes too ;)


message 7: by Katie (new)

Katie | 2360 comments Bahaha, I love that, Peter.


message 8: by Jillian (new)

Jillian | 2928 comments Laura, at first I was worried that I missed something since I could not find it on my list.


message 9: by Jill (new)

Jill (dogbotsmum) | 1356 comments Is the map for this year or next year?


message 10: by Lizzy (new)

Lizzy | 910 comments Is there a list of places on the Group Reading Map, or only the Map itself? Thank you.


message 11: by Jillian (new)

Jillian | 2928 comments Jill wrote: "Is the map for this year or next year?"

It is the 2017 ATY Group Map.


message 12: by Laura, Celestial Sphere Mod (new)

Laura | 3780 comments Mod
Ee, the panel on the right of the map has the list of titles. If you click a title then it will show the location. There's also the actual thread where members submit their entries to be added to the map. That should allow you to search the group for city, country, or state names. The thread is here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...


message 13: by Joan (new)

Joan Barnett | 1972 comments I loved a lot of these suggestions. Once again I didn't pick my own!


message 14: by Katie (new)

Katie | 2360 comments My favorite is the seven deadly sins topic. I think that is so fun and would love to see what people will choose if it wins. I think it would be a pretty interesting topic for nonfiction books as well.


message 15: by Jillian (new)

Jillian | 2928 comments Joan- I voted for your suggestion in the top but I think it will be a long shot.


message 16: by Zaz (new)

Zaz | 2969 comments Interesting batch, I didn't have strong feelings for them but found some I'd like to do very much. I didn't vote for the 4 we did in the past years but I wouldn't mind a repeat for them (except the play).

I liked a lot the clue idea, but not so much after looking at my TBR sadly. The deadly sins seems also fun to fill but looking at the list posted by Silvia, I read some of the books and it's not obvious for me they are related, so I'd probably have a hard time to decide if a read was good for this prompt.


message 17: by Michelle (new)

Michelle (mich2689) | 484 comments I voted for the seven deadly sins prompt because it was such a unique idea and I'm sure many other books that were not on the list would also fit the category. A prompt from the previous year that I really liked and voted for was the book originally written in a language that's not English.


message 18: by Francesca (new)

Francesca | 780 comments My top two were easy to choose. The seven deadly sins topic was my top choice as soon as it was suggested/seconded. I love how new and unique it is but I also just like things to do with the seven deadly sins in general. The movie Seven is probably one of my favourites and there was a great Supernatural episode involving them.

My second top choice was the 'clue' topic because, again, I just thought it was so fresh and original. We haven't had anything like it before. Plus it just seems like a lot of fun.

Choosing my top third and fourth picks was a lot harder. There weren't really a lot of the other picks that jumped out at me. I ended up going with the authors debut novel, because I thought that would be really interesting, and I actually voted for the chick-lit (god, I hate that name) as one of my top choices. It's a genre I don't read often but when I do I usually enjoy it. I think it has a really unfair bias surrounding it because of its name (which, again, I do really hate). It seems like any book that features mainly women gets automatically classed as 'chick-lit' and then people get put off the book because they assume it must be really 'girly' and they associate 'girly' with bad. (Just my lil rant there but, seriously, you don't see books featuring mainly men being referred to as 'dick-lit' or 'dude-lit' do you?)


message 19: by Francesca (new)

Francesca | 780 comments My bottom choices were quite hard because this time there were actually a lot that I didn't hate but was very uninterested in. I ended up just going with the ones I found the most boring or that we had already done before and I didn't want to do again.


message 20: by Silvia (new)

Silvia Turcios | 1058 comments I think the link I provided is just an example, I am pretty sure there are many more books, for example, Pride and Prejudice is not mentioned and for me is an obvious option


message 21: by Sophie (new)

Sophie (sawphie) | 2826 comments Haha Francesca you cracked me up with 'dick-lit'!

I completely agree with you, yes chick-lit can mean silly books like Confessions of a Shopaholic, but also deeper subjects like Big Little Lies. I still didn't vote for it though, but it shouldn't be dismissed at first glance.


message 22: by Sophie (new)

Sophie (sawphie) | 2826 comments I just found this list about the 7 deadly sins in titles: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1....


message 23: by Nadine in NY (new)

Nadine in NY Jones | 2286 comments Francesca wrote: "... (Just my lil rant there but, seriously, you don't see books featuring mainly men being referred to as 'dick-lit' or 'dude-lit' do you?)
..."


I do refer to books as "dick lit"! There are some books that are just so male-centric that I shelve them as dick-lit on my GR page.

I want to like chick lit, but I haven't found a good one yet, they are always about shopping for shoes and being a ditz and stuff which just grinds my gears in a bad bad way.


message 24: by Silvia (new)

Silvia Turcios | 1058 comments That's a great list, Sophie!!! 😊


message 25: by °~Amy~° (new)

°~Amy~° (amybooksit) I had a very clear top 4 in this poll. Loss and Grieving made my top 4 because of it's versatility. I've been wanting to read Lily and the Octopus which would work for that topic. I chose contradiction/antonym in the title because those are fun to look for. I read a lot of debut novels so that had to get a spot from me. And the seven deadly sins was a top for me. I still need to read the second book in the Lies of Locke Lamora series. Greed is a strong theme in that series.


The rest I just was not very excited about. My bottom 4 ended up being a book written in a language other than english, which seems to get suggested a LOT in polls every year. I voted down The book with the lowest rating on your TBR. I checked my TBR and the bottom two are definitely not books I will ever read. If I didn't still own physical copies of them, they wouldn't even be on my tbr, but at the moment, there they are. The ATY map made my bottom because I no longer participate in that and I know that I have read a lot of unmapped locations already. And chick-lit made my bottom. I would disagree that a woman-centric book is automatically chick lit. For me it's any light fluffy read, usually with a romance component or a family focus. It's the light and fluffy that gets me. Well, and any sign of gushy romance and I am out.

Is it Thursday yet?


message 26: by °~Amy~° (new)

°~Amy~° (amybooksit) I didn't down vote it, but I did want to point out that not every has or uses a local library so that will be a very difficult topic to fill for a lot of people. I have a local library but I have NEVER gotten a good recommendation from the librarians there. They are very lovely people, but recommendations just aren't their thing. I have no idea what I will do if this one gets chosen.


message 27: by Charity (new)

Charity (faeryrebel78) | 552 comments This vote was hard because not a lot stood out to me. I ended up picking 4 that we haven't done before that I could find a good many choices for. I loved the clue and 7 deadly sins when they were suggested but after doing some searching I didn't find a lot. I didn't end of voting either of them in the top or bottom. If those get voted and anyone finds additional lists or has suggestions please share.

My bottom 3 were easier. I picked a play because we've seen it before and they just aren't my thing. The lowest rated on your TBR because I looked at them and well there's a reason they've been sitting on my shelf for years. The 3rd was the animal companion because again they just aren't my thing. There were several others I didn't care for just because we've seen them before but I do have books I can read they just didn't inspire me.


message 28: by Perri (new)

Perri | 886 comments Chick-lit, love the genre Where'd you Go Bernadette, all of Liane Moriarty. Hate the name-so dismissive. I've tried Dick-lit in protest as well, but it doesn't seem to be catching on. Maybe we should start one on Listopia? ;)


message 29: by Jillian (new)

Jillian | 2928 comments I did not vote either way on the clue prompt but I did find theses lists:
Guns and Knives (My Clue versions have always been the knife instead of the dagger).

Candles and Lamps There seems to be more lamps and not all the candles show the candlestick but there are some.

Covers for Old Rope there are also tons of Romance Cowboy books with rope on the cover

I have nothing for the wrench and lead pipe.


message 30: by Nicole (new)

Nicole Sterling | 452 comments For the first time since we started the suggesting, seconding, & voting for the 2018 list, I was unable to participate in the process leading up to the poll. We were out of town over the weekend in a location that had very spotty cell service & no wi-fi at all, so by the time I got home & checked in, the list was made and the poll was up. That's not necessarily a bad thing or a good thing, but it was strange to look at the list with fresh eyes, since I usually get ready to vote with some ideas in mind of my favorites or my least favorites.

There were four topics that I really didn't want to do, so the bottom four were easy picks for me. As for the top picks, I had five favorites, so I had to push one out, but really any of them except for the ones I chose for my bottom four would be okay with me.

I'm so glad we get the results on Thursday, instead of having to wait until next Monday. I'm sure it will still feel like a long wait, but it will be bearable since it is so short compared to the 7 days we've had to wait previously.


message 31: by Clare (new)

Clare (-clare-) | 118 comments Top
- A book related to one of the seven deadly sins (pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, sloth)
- A book with one of the "Clue" weapons on the cover (i.e. lead pipe, revolver, rope, candlestick, dagger, or wrench)
- A book set in a location that is not found on the 2017 ATY Group Map
- A book that's title makes you chuckle

Bottom
- A book recommended by your local librarian
- A book about a dragon (or can be on cover, in title or author's name)
- A book, any genre, dealing with loss and grief (death, terminal illness, loss of pet, loss of home, divorce, etc)
- A play


message 32: by Katie (new)

Katie | 2360 comments The discussion on what chick lit is has been interesting. My perception of it, like Amy said, is light & fluffy, but I don't consider romance chick lit. To me they're separate. So then I was curious about what the Goodreads definition of chick lit is. So in case anyone is interested:

Chick lit is genre fiction which addresses issues of modern womanhood, often humorously and lightheartedly. Although it sometimes includes romantic elements, chick lit is generally not considered a direct subcategory of the romance novel genre, because the heroine's relationship with her family or friends is often just as important as her romantic relationships.


message 33: by °~Amy~° (new)

°~Amy~° (amybooksit) Katie wrote: "The discussion on what chick lit is has been interesting. My perception of it, like Amy said, is light & fluffy, but I don't consider romance chick lit. To me they're separate. So then I was curiou..."

I absolutely agree with that definition. I didn't mean that romance novels were chick-lit, they aren't. However a lot of chick-lit does include romantic elements and that is enough to turn me off. For the record, I don't like romance in YA, sci-fi, murder mysteries, etc. That goes for TV and movies as well as books. The ONLY time I like romance is in my Christmas books and movies. I have no idea why it's ok then, but it is so I go with it. :-)


message 34: by Perri (new)

Perri | 886 comments Amy wrote: "Katie wrote: "The discussion on what chick lit is has been interesting. My perception of it, like Amy said, is light & fluffy, but I don't consider romance chick lit. To me they're separate. So the..."
Interesting. I don't much like Romance- Outlander being the exception to my rule :O, and also haven't read any Bridget Jones or Sophie Kinsella. But looking at the Chick Lit List I see The Help, Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Lovely Bones? Huh
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4...


message 35: by Rachel (new)

Rachel A. (abyssallibrarian) | 3282 comments Three out of my top 4 were very easy to choose immediately, but I got stuck for a while for my fourth. I actually ended up choosing chick-lit (as much as I hate that name!) because after browsing a few lists, many of the books on my TBR seem to be classified that way. It also might be a way to push some of us outside our comfort zones a bit and maybe break the stereotypes of what chick lit is. I also love the seven deadly sins suggestion because it is so creative.

My bottom four was also pretty clear, although I could live with just about any of them. On my bottom 4 list was the book written in a language other than English because I think it's been done to death. In the past 2 years of doing challenges, I've had that specific prompt at least 3 times. I also downvoted a recommendation from a local librarian because I don't like having to seek people out to get recommendations, and I downvoted a book with a title that makes me laugh. I must have a very different sense of humour or something, because none of the titles on the list above really struck me as funny.


message 36: by Bec (new)

Bec | 1341 comments Ok tricky one for me. I had 2 top ones and 2 bottom ones but had to really think about the others. I put book recommended by local librarian in bottom as I don't go to the library very often - and only for kids books. I also put a book NOT on the reading map in the bottom as that just seems too hard for me....in the top I put book with the lowest rating on my TBR list as it gets a book from my TBR list ticket off :) and a book with an author who uses initials - as again, I have plenty on my TBR list.


message 37: by Rachel (new)

Rachel A. (abyssallibrarian) | 3282 comments I almost put the reading map one in my bottom 4 also! Kind of wish I had actually, but I don't want to change my votes now. It's a great idea, but I find the map overwhelming. I used to participate in it, but always found that I forgot to update when I finished books and got mixed up about which books to include since I'm reading for several challenges, so I stopped. If that wins, I would definitely need a list of which locations are allowed.

Lowest rated on my TBR was also a strong contender for bottom 4 but I didn't choose it in the end. I considered it because it's a prompt with no options -- just the one book. I can't guarantee that the book would be accessible to me when I need it. I guess I could always just go for the lowest rated that I could get a copy of, if it happens to win.


message 38: by Jill (new)

Jill (dogbotsmum) | 1356 comments A lot of these suggestions we have had in previous year's lists. It will be interesting to see what new ones actually do make the list this year


message 39: by Sophie (last edited Aug 14, 2017 06:57PM) (new)

Sophie (soapsuds) | 154 comments Charity wrote: "This vote was hard because not a lot stood out to me. I ended up picking 4 that we haven't done before that I could find a good many choices for. I loved the clue and 7 deadly sins when they were s..."

Charity, when I suggested the 7 deadly sins, I never meant for the prompt to follow any specific list. It can be interpreted in any way one chooses. One can read a cookbook about ice cream recipes or anything "excessive" (gluttony) or a crime novel that involves a crime based on greed, envy or lust. One can even read erotica or romance novels if it involves lust, or a war novel if it involves wrath. The suggestion of Pride and Prejudice was great, as was the list with the sins in titles, but I think of this prompt as just an easy one to fill, but still fun to think up. I have no ideas for sloth, though, except that I feel like one whne I'm reading a great book and nothing is getting done!


message 40: by °~Amy~° (new)

°~Amy~° (amybooksit) Sophie wrote: "Charity wrote: "This vote was hard because not a lot stood out to me. I ended up picking 4 that we haven't done before that I could find a good many choices for. I loved the clue and 7 deadly sins ..."

There actually are several books specific to Sloth:
Sloth (Sinful Secrets, #1) by Ella James
Sloth by Gilbert Hernández
Sloth (Seven Deadly Sins, #5) by Robin Wasserman

OH and my personal favorite:
A Little Book of Sloth by Lucy Cooke
*Yes, I realize that is about the ANIMAL sloth not the SIN sloth. No, I do not care. It's freaking adorable! lol


message 41: by Lizzy (new)

Lizzy | 910 comments Also The Dante Club covers all 7 of the deadly sins.


message 42: by Sophie (new)

Sophie (sawphie) | 2826 comments Baby sloths are sooooo cute!!! But so ugly when they are adults!


message 43: by °~Amy~° (new)

°~Amy~° (amybooksit) Sophie wrote: "Baby sloths are sooooo cute!!! But so ugly when they are adults!"

Gasp! Nooooooooo! Always adorable, always!!!!!


message 44: by Nadine in NY (new)

Nadine in NY Jones | 2286 comments So far as sloths go, there is a sort of spirit/demon-animal sloth that figures prominently in Lauren Beukes' strange and wonderful book, Zoo City.


message 45: by Sophie (new)

Sophie (soapsuds) | 154 comments So I stand corrected, sloths can be the subject of books....🙂


message 46: by °~Amy~° (new)

°~Amy~° (amybooksit) Nadine wrote: "So far as sloths go, there is a sort of spirit/demon-animal sloth that figures prominently in Lauren Beukes' strange and wonderful book, Zoo City."

A sloth as a spirit animal.....Yah, that would be me. lol I will check that book out for sure whether we get 7 deadly sins next year or not. :-)


message 47: by Jill (new)

Jill (dogbotsmum) | 1356 comments My top 4 were :-
A book that is an Audio Award winner or nominee (any format) I'm never going to listen to an audio book so this would get it out of the way.
A book by an author who uses initials
Chance to read the alternative Rowling books
An author's debut book (their first book to be published)
I prefer to read books in a series in the order they are written
A book in which the protagonist has an animal companion
Just love animals

My bottom 4 were:-
A book, any genre, dealing with loss and grief (death, terminal illness, loss of pet, loss of home, divorce, etc)
Too sad
The book with the lowest rating on your TBR
We had this before and I found life is too short to read bad books on purpose
A book related to one of the seven deadly sins (pride, greed, lust, envy, gluttony, wrath, sloth)
Didn't like the list given, but I may have been too hasty about this
A chick-lit book
Not interested in this at all. Romance , high heels and fluff just aren't me

I don't have a librarian, so just hoping this doesn't get through


message 48: by Nicole (last edited Aug 15, 2017 01:47PM) (new)

Nicole Sterling | 452 comments I didn't vote for it, because I know a lot of people in this group have often mentioned that they don't like books that someone else has to recommend to them, but it seems like a lot of people are getting stuck on the "recommended by a librarian" suggestion. They either don't think their librarians give good suggestions or they don't have a library close or something like that.

You can go to almost any library's website and there will be librarian recommendations listed. If you don't like them, pick another library. The New York Public Library has a page dedicated to staff picks each month, and it is broken down by adult, YA, & children's books: https://www.nypl.org/books-music-dvds...

Here's a list of the August recommendations from the Chicago Public Library: https://chipublib.bibliocommons.com/l...

And here's a page with links to recommendations from the Seattle Public Library (scroll down the page a bit to where it says "Staff Favorites," and you can pick which age group you want to look for): http://www.spl.org/library-collection...

If you want it to be a more close-to-you location, look on your town's library website, or find closest metropolitan area near you and look at their library website. There are plenty of options to pick from. Again, I don't think this option will make it in the top four, but if people just think outside the box a bit, I think it would be easier to find books that fit prompts you're not sure about.


message 49: by Perri (new)

Perri | 886 comments And just like that more books added to TBR. You need to post a caution by your links, Nicole ;)


message 50: by Nicole (new)

Nicole Sterling | 452 comments Perri wrote: "And just like that more books added to TBR. You need to post a caution by your links, Nicole ;)"

Sorry about that, Perri! 😂 I'm that way with most of the suggestions, too. I'll look to see if I can find books that would fit them, and then I find things I would like whether or not that prompt makes it, so I add them. My TBR list is quite overwhelming at the moment!


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