34. A suggestion from the AtY 2018 polls, that didn't win but was polarizing or a close-call

[Brittany]

- What are you reading for this category and for which prompt?
I read The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata for the prompt A book whose title or author's last name starts with Q, X, Y, or Z
- Why did you choose this book and this topic?
I honestly read this book on a whim and was happy to see I could fit it somewhere.

[Sarah]

What are you reading for this category and for which prompt?
Wolf with Benefits by Shelly Laurenston. It's from the Tenth Mini-Poll
A book with a supernatural character (vampire, werewolf, witch/wizard, zombie, ghost, etc.)

Why did you choose this book and this topic?
Honestly I was going through the list and saw that this prompt matched a book I finished last month. But I read a lot of paranormal romance books so this was a good choice for me.

Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list?
I liked A book that is an Audie Award winner or nominee from the seventh mini-poll as well.

[Marie]

I read My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher, for a book, any genre, dealing with loss and grief.

I've had a look through the topics I voted for last year and I picked a surprisingly high number of winners. The one that sticks out that I was most interested in that didn't make it was a book written in second person.

I voted twice each for characters who are twins and coming of age novel, and for four different prompts relating to the character's age. Oddly I didn't vote for the elderly character prompt this year. I did vote for a book with a epigraph both this year and last though.

[Kathy]

What are you reading for this category and for which prompt?
The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov I read this for the prompt: A book that you're reading as part of a reading group, buddy read, or Book of the Month (either in the AtY group or outside of it)

Why did you choose this book and this topic?
I was reading this book with another Goodreads group.

-Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list?
Yes. A book by a Nobel prize author; A book about feminism or with feminist themes; A book that takes place over the course of one day. And others.

[Erika]

I'm reading (listening to) The Ersatz Elevator by Lemony Snicket. I chose the topic of a book series with more than 5 books because I'm already listening to the book and it fit. I saw a lot of other topics that would have been fun to do. The celestial ones caught my eyes and also the one about your favorite Hogwarts house.

[Jody]

What are you reading for this category and for which prompt?
I'm reading Voss by Patrick White for the prompt "A book by a Nobel prize author".
Why did you choose this book and this topic?
I want to read more by Nobel prize winning authors, and I also want to read more by Australian authors, so this was a win win for me.
Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list?
A book describing the experience of immigrants
A book related to music (on the cover, in the title, or the subject)

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

I read Evil Under the Sun for the prompt "a book with a celestial body in the title". I needed a comfort read to get me out of a reading slump so I found a suggestion that fit.

[Jill]

What are you reading for this category and for which prompt?
I read Elizabeth Street by Laurie Fabiano A book describing the experience of immigrants

Why did you choose this book and this topic?
Both the topic and the book interested me

Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list?
Yes . Quite a few that I liked , just this one stood out for me

[Samantha]

I am reading The Lies We Told A book with less than 2018 ratings.

[Sue]

I read Every Note Played by Lisa Genova - a book related to music. It was a fascinating insight into ALS (called Motor Neurone Disease or MND in Australia), from the point of view of a concert pianist losing all movement in his body, starting with his hands.

[Sara]

- What are you reading for this category and for which prompt?
I read The Return of the Soldier by Rebecca West which would have fit two prompts: (1) the author's name is a point of compass and (2) I am reading it with another group.

- Why did you choose this book and this topic?
I have been wanting to read this book for a long time. It kept missing the win in the other group by a matter of a few votes, so I held out to see if it would eventually get selected and it did. I just went looking for a prompt it would fit rather than the other way around.

- Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list?
Being new to the group just this July, I am still feeling my way, but I did find this an interesting exercise because I got a chance to see what the voting was like and what missed the list from last year. I did see several prompts I would have found interesting, which tells me that I need to be prepared to vote in future mini-polls.

[Joan]

- What are you reading for this category and for which prompt? Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- Why did you choose this book and this topic? I want to finish the series this year and it was easy to fit into one of the polarizing or close calls. It could have fit in for the prompt with the author that uses initials or a book with a supernatural character
- Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list? I suggested and wanted the celestial one last year. I thought that would have been fun. I also like the prompts that make us read a classic - like something written before 1900 or something written over 50 years ago.

[Shelley]

- What are you reading for this category and for which prompt? The Name of the Rose
- Why did you choose this book and this topic? I just happened to be looking at a BookRiot list of Ravenclaw books when I was trying to figure this out. Perfect! It was very historical and cerebral so seemed to match the prompt well.
- Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list? I didn't follow the list making process last year, but I prefer prompts that are a bit more restrictive without being a straight pick from the list prompt. Yes, I get the irony that I choose this book straight from a list. Don't judge me!

[Silvia]

- What are you reading for this category and for which prompt? The Night Circus for "A book set in a place related to showbiz (i.e. theater, circus, movies, etc)"
- Why did you choose this book and this topic? I have been listening how good this book is for a long time. And I choose this catgeory because It was my suggestion!... I suggested last year and didn't win. Someone else suggested it this year and of course I seconded and again, didn't win :(
- Were there other prompts you wanted to see in the final list?
Western! LOL I always love prompts that nobody else like :D