Group read nominations

[Rebecca]

Let's get a group read going! I'm thinking our first read should be something fun and not too long. An old favorite? A new award-winning scifi title? Nominate away!

[Rebecca]

I'll put forth Warcross by Marie Lu! A gaming sci-fi thriller, this would be a perfect Hooman read. It's hit Best of 2017 lists and has a 4.27 rating on goodreads.

[Tiffany]

I'll put forward one that's on my wishlist!!! "The Fifth Season" by N.K. Jemisin is a newish 500page fantasy novel and one that's got a lot of buzz including winning 2015 Hugo. Quick blurb: "This is the way the world ends...for the last time. A season of endings has begun. It starts with the great red rift across the heart of the world's sole continent, spewing ash that blots out the sun. It starts with death, with a murdered son and a missing daughter. It starts with betrayal, and long dormant wounds rising up to fester. This is the Stillness, a land long familiar with catastrophe, where the power of the earth is wielded as a weapon. And where there is no mercy."

[Tiffany]

but Warcross sounds REALLY GOOD too!!!

[Rachel]

Yessssss!!! I've been wanting to read Warcross! Especially when I watched a video where Marie Lu talks vaguely about a darker and grittier sequel!

[Heidi]

Those both sound great!

[Rebecca]

Tiffany, I've been really wanting to read Jemison's Broken Earth series too! So many friends have recommended it. I'll give other folks a few more days to nominate and then open a poll.

[Heidi]

I'd love to get our pick settled before the beginning of next month! Do we have an idea of a time period for our group reads? One a month?

[Rebecca]

Thanks for the reminder Heidi! Where did January just go? I'll send out the poll!

Let's maybe give 2 months to the first book - since February is short anyway - and see what participants want going forward.

[Rebecca]

I rarely read along with Vaginal Fantasy but I loved their hangouts! Can't believe this week's will be the last. Truly the end of an era! I propose that we read something on the romantic side next month to honor VF. What do y'all think?

I nominate Removed by S.J. Pajonas. I'm always here for sword fighting!!! ⚔⚔⚔

"Removed is the first installment in the Nogiku Series, a saga of post-apocalyptic sci-fi novels set in future Japan. If you like tenacious heroines, sizzling chemistry, and unique post-apoc settings, then you’ll love S. J. Pajonas’ dystopian adventure."

[Tiffany]

I'm also sad about end of VF. I've read several really great books thanks to that group tho u never followed religiously. the book you suggested sounds really cool!!!

[Rachel]

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers.

It sounds very similar to Fortune's Pawn by Rachel Bach that was one of the Vaginal Fantasy picks. Seems like a Space Opera with some romance but not Space Porn.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

[Heidi]

I have never really delved into the romance genre (although, of course, I did read and love Outlander), so I don't have any nominations but am on board for a VF-style book!

[Rebecca]

Thanks for the book suggestion, Rachel, and for the support Tiffany and Heidi! I'm definitely into the 'some romance' angle and not total space porn. Bonnie can have her Cthulhu erotica hehe. Any other nominations or input? I'm planning to open the poll on Monday!

[Rachel]

Next Suggestions:
Robots vs Fairies by Dominik Parisien
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Unbury Carol by Josh Malerman
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Ritualist by Dakota Trout
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

[Scott]

For a future read, I nominate Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal. I love Mary's writing and the entire series is great. I keep entering it into S&L's annual "March Madness" poll but it never gets picked hehe.

Granted, this would be yet another one I've previously read lol

[Rebecca]

Thanks Scott! I notice some of my friends have read it and its on Felicia's to-read list. Anyone else have a nomination for our June/July read? This time we are looking for books NOT previously read by Sword and Laser. You can search their list here: http://swordandlaser.wikia.com/wiki/Book_List

Rachel - I checked and your nominations were never S&L picks, so we'll have a healthy field to vote on soon :)

[Scott]

Yeah, just looking at the descriptions of the ones Rachel suggested, they all sound interesting.

[Scott]

The Punch Escrow by Tal M. Klein. It was the winner of Geek and Sundry's Inkshares contest a few years ago. And bonus for any Critters in here, Matt Mercer does the audiobook.

[Heidi]

Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks has been on my TBR list FOREVER.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

[Rebecca]

Thinking about themes for our upcoming read... (not that we need a theme, but it's fun!) On the heel's of Felicia's awesome fundraiser for Raices, how about immigration? Sci-fi and comics offer endless creative metaphors, I mean look no further than Superman! I've also heard great things about the new graphic novel memoir The Best We Could Do.

[Rebecca]

I'm also really excited to read Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse! Indigenous urban fantasy that's been getting all the raves. Anyone else have a nomination? Or shall we give the wide range of nominations from the last round a second chance?

[Scott]

I kind of like the idea of giving the nominations from last time another chance, especially given how close the vote was.

But, as for the immigration theme, I recommend Sulfur Springs. It's not sci-fi/fantasy. It's murder mystery. But, it really handles the topic of immigration quite well. Fair warning though, while I think you can read it on its own without missing a lot, it is the 16th book in a series.

[Rebecca]

16th book, wow! We're well-rounded hoomans who can read outside SFF, right? But when will you nominate a book you haven't read??

I'll go ahead and start a poll.

[Scott]

Rebecca wrote: " But when will you nominate a book you haven't read??

Hahaha. Yeah I need to be better about that

[Rebecca]

Hey everyone! Do we want to nominate another group read for the end of the year? I notice the participation has been falling off a bit.

Would you rather focus on other kinds of book discussions / challenges? If you still like the group reads, what would you want to change about the way we do it? The timeline, etc. Your feedback is very very welcome!

[Scott]

I like the book reads. The only thing I might change is maybe taking nominations earlier, like maybe halfway through the second month so we have the next pick already chosen.

I also like the idea of having other book discussions/challenges. Maybe an topic to talk about what else we're reading. For challenges, I know S&L is currently doing a challenge to see how many other "Sword" and "Laser" books people read in addition to the group reads. Since we don't have the same structure, perhaps a more open ended challenge of, for example, as a group we will read 600 books in the year.

[Scott]

I know we're kind of late into the month, but if we decide to do a group read, how about a horror book in honor of Halloween?

[Emily]

I'll admit I am behind (and have been from the start!) and don't often contribute but I have loved every selection. They have mostly been books I wouldn't have chosen and the authors are now among my favourites!
I agree with taking nominations earlier. I live on a small island and don't always have an opportunity to get the book quickly.

[Rebecca]

Good to know you are following along Emily! I totally agree about the selections helping me find new authors. There's definitely no limit in chiming in on older books.

How about we challenge ourselves to a read a spooky book or story in October and take nominations now for a group read in November/December!

Let's chat more about how to structure things for the new year.

[Scott]

Sounds good! Are we going to have any kind of theme for Nov/Dec?

[Rebecca]

Scott wrote: "Sounds good! Are we going to have any kind of theme for Nov/Dec?"

Any ideas??

[Scott]

The only thing that's coming to mind is colonization because of (American) Thanksgiving in November. Or something family-related because of the holidays?

Unless we went super cheesy and picked something like Christmas Carol because of the holidays

[Rebecca]

Let's aim to choose a book this week! Get your nominations in!

Criteria:
- Let's have a standing rule not to overlap with Sword and Laser's choices: http://swordandlaser.com/picks/
- I've been reading only books written by women in 2018 (largely inspired by our previous picks!) so pretty please don't ruin this streak for me ;)
- Scott suggested two possible themes above. Use those as inspiration or let us know why your book would be a good one to end the year with.

[Scott]

I'll try to stick with books I haven't read yet lol

The Shadow Land by Elizabeth Kostova sounds like it might fit the "family" theme. Full disclosure I have read the author before but not this specific book lol

Record of a Spaceborn Few Kind of cheating since we read Book 1 as a group read (and I know many of us continued on) but it probably fits the colonization theme.

[Scott]

i also wouldn't mind reading any of the prior nominations that didn't 'make it.'

[Rebecca]

I nominate Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik for the winter theme. Guessing most of us have read Novik's other books for S&L, Vaginal Fantasy, or just because she is amazing. I hear nothing but raves about this one.

I also re-nominate Trail of Lightning as it's still high on my to-read list. As Scott mentioned this is an important time of year to center native voices instead of colonial narratives. I mean guys I've seen this called "an indigenous Mad Max: Fury Road" come on

[Rebecca]

I promised we'd decide on the next read by December 15th, so it's time to start getting those nominations in! Themes or specific book suggestions for the new year anyone?

[Rachel]

Severance by Ling Ma
Red Sister by Mark Lawrence
Neon Green by Margaret Wappler

[Rebecca]

Thanks for the nominations Rachel! I suggest The Poppy War. Any other nominations? I'd like to set up the poll in the next few days.

[Rebecca]

ps omg the description for Neon Green was already hitting right in the 90s nostalgia... and it's set in my hometown!?? i mean 12 year old me was definitely wishing for aliens to rescue me from my middle school suburban angst i feel so seen 😂 👽

[Scott]

I am not a Serial Killer by Dan Wells
After On by Rob Reid
Brimstone by Cherie Priest

[Rebecca]

WOW it's time to choose the next book already??!! Nominate away!

[Scott]

The Armored Saint by Myke Cole

I'd also be open to any previous nominations that didn't win.

Also, a thought occurred to me. I assume most of us have read Felicia's You're Never Weird on the Internet so I won't make it an "official" nomination yet. But if I'm wrong in that assumption, I feel like it almost has to be a group read given that this is the Team Hooman book club lol

[Rebecca]

I would be down for voting on previous noms of the best few rounds!

[Scott]

Rebecca wrote: "I would be down for voting on previous noms of the best few rounds!"

Do we still have the previous poll results? How about we throw up the previous runner ups (just to keep things simple and manageable)?

[Rebecca]

Well damn, I didn't get to the poll before going on strike and now I've left us hanging without a new book choice! I will put up a new poll with the runner up books from past months, as Scott suggested!

[Rebecca]

HEY everybody, it's that time again! Nominations are open for our May/June read. How about a book with LGBT+ representation for pride month! I nominate The Weight of the Stars and In Other Lands. These are both YA titles I've heard great things about. What else you got?

[Scott]

Hmmmm...I'm actually struggling trying to think of something that I haven't read. The only ones coming to mind that fit the theme are books that I've already read.

[Rebecca]

Scott, the theme is just a suggestion! Anything else you are excited to read?