[2021] The Wild Discussion Showing 1,101-1,150 of 2,279

[Sherri]

I would like to suggest reading your favorite type of book. It could be be your favorite genre, author, a book in your favorite series, a book related to your interest of study. A book that brings you joy. Any type of book you come back to. Not a reread just a book that speaks to you.

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

Unfortunately the info in the doodle is wrong.He wasn’t born in Haiti, his father was!

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Sherri, I would wait until later in the polling process to suggest that. Most people will feel like it's kind of a freebie, and they are more likely to vote it in when we get closer to the end of the polling process.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Don't forget to submit your completion posts for the Summer Reading Challenge! There will be a random draw and the person who wins will get to choose a prompt for the list!

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

I plan on suggesting A book listed as a Best Book of the Month by a member in the ATY group tomorrow when suggestions open.

I started a listopia but could only add 100 books (which took me from August through the middle of May's thread) so if anyone wants to go add the months of January through May, feel free.

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Do y'all think the wording is ok? Any way you would change it?

[Hannah]

Emily wrote: "I plan on suggesting A book listed as a Best Book of the Month by a member in the ATY group tomorrow when suggestions open.

I started a listopia but could only add 100 books (which took me from Au..."

If you want to make it a little more obvious, especially to those new to the group, you could explicitly say "A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads for 2020." I assume that if we voted the prompt in, a link to those threads would probably be provided in the thread for the prompt, but I imagine it could be a little confusing to people voting who aren't super active in the group!

[Entropia]

Emily wrote: "I started a listopia but could only add 100 books (which took me from August through the middle of May's thread) so if anyone wants to go add the months of January through May, feel free.."
I finished adding May - I will try to do the rest :) Should I include "Honorable Mentions" too?

[Entropia]

I got to message 7 in February Thread and ran out of votes ;)

[[deleted user]]

I’ve added January and the rest of February

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Yay thanks everyone!

I didn't want to restrict it to just 2020, since some people may want to read a book that is in the 2021 best of January thread or whatever. But I'll probably go with A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads. Thanks for the help with that, Hannah. I was having a total brain spaz.

Entropia, I'd say add any book that they specifically mention as a best book. So maybe not "These are honorable mentions" but if they list 3 books as their best of, all three would go on the list?

EDIT: 275 books and we still have four months to go! That's lots to choose from, as far as lists go.

[Entropia]

Weirdly I have only two out of those 275 books on my tbr, but I've seen some books that I stumble upon every now and then and I'm unsure if I want to add them to my tbr (like Middlegame, Gods of Jade and Shadow, The Sparrow or Erin Morgernstern's books). I really like the idea, so probably I'm going to vote for it anyway, lol.

[dalex]

I haven’t been posting in the Best Books discussion so I just added my books directly to the listopia. Hope that’s ok!

[Jillian]

I'm adding the books for March.

edit: I think someone else already added March so I can delete the ones I added, "voted" for if I need to.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Jillian, I can click a button and remove duplicates from a list, so feel free to upvote the books you would normally vote for.

[Jillian]

I don’t think, I add any duplicates. After, I added all of March’s books the number of books on the listopia stayed the same.

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

No worries then!

[Ellie]

The best of selection has padded out a lot since I last looked, lots I have on my owned TBR so I'll be voting for it. I like that it will grow through next year too.

[Joanne]

I don't really want to have to sort through a bunch of threads, but looking at that listopia, there are quite a few books I'm excited about so I may vote for it after all.

[Hannah]

So, "A book with a story trope you love or hate" was pretty unpopular - I downvoted it because of the wording, but I was thinking more about a similar prompt that I would be interested in, so I want to test the waters. Does anyone else have book premises that they're basically always down to read? Like if you looooove reading about humans making first contact with aliens. Or if you love when the hero and heroine of a romance start out hating each other and eventually fall in love. One of mine is books that play with time and time paradoxes: time travel, time loops, I'll read (or watch) anything with this concept.

I think that the term "trope" might have turned people off, since a lot of people think of tropes as cliched elements of stories. Some of these things are things I would call "tropes," but others seem broader, more just relatively common premises. I'm not even sure if I'm explaining this concept very well, or if most people have story elements that they feel so strongly about. Any thoughts? I'm someone who loves looking for patterns in my reading, so I think it's super fun to try and come up with common elements in the books that I love, but I can imagine that there could be readers that don't especially value particular plot lines and care more about quality writing or how well they connect with the characters (though even then you could maybe identify patterns in the kinds of characters you like: "cantankerous old person who learns to open up to the world," for example, or "young woman determined to save the world.")

[Angie]

Hannah wrote: "So, "A book with a story trope you love or hate" was pretty unpopular - I downvoted it because of the wording, but I was thinking more about a similar prompt that I would be interested in, so I wan..."

I don't think I downvoted it (can't remember), but I can tell you that I thought the wording made the prompt too broad. "Read a book with a story trope you love or hate" - well that's pretty much "read a book of your choosing." I actually love trope-related prompts, but speaking just for myself, I'd need something a little more specific.

Also, a quick definition of "trope" might help those who do see it as a negative thing.

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

I definitely have favorite patterns but that sometimes leads me to be disappointed in books that don't do them well.

[[deleted user]]

Angie wrote: "Read a book with a story trope you love or hate" - well that's pretty much "read a book of your choosing."

i agree that it was probably downvoted because it is too much of a freebie! since all fiction contains tropes, almost every single book i read has a trope i love or hate. therefore it's a bit of a throwaway challenge. if you wanted to put a positive spin on it , maybe you could resubmit it as something along the lines of 'read a book with a trope or story element you know you love'

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Ohhh I like the wording of story element better than trope. Even though I know there are some tropes I enjoy, I just... don't like the word trope? It has such a negative connotation... it makes me think of formula books. So story element opens the door a bit more and makes me feel much more positively towards the prompt lol.

[dalex]

I agree that the trope prompt might do better if reworded. I think it’s one of those literary terms, like bildungsroman and nom de plume, that not everyone is familiar with. And if those people just vote without researching and/or following the discussion, their response is “Don’t know what it is, don’t want it on the list.”

[Irene]

I don't remember if I downvoted it or not, but I didn't like that it felt like a complete freebie - what book doesn't have a trope/pattern that you can either like or dislike?

I don't have a problem with the term trope, but I wish the prompt itself was worded differently, like "Read a book with your favorite trope/plot element," which would narrow it down a bit. It seems easy enough to identify what major tropes a book has just from the description, like enemies-to-lovers, ugly duckling, normal-person-is-the-chosen-one.

[Nancy]

I'd also drop the "hate" from the prompt, anything negative in a prompt means I'm less likely to vote for it. I'm not fond of reading about things I hate.

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

I like "read a book with a story element you know you love"

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

Ohhhhh the "you know you love" is better than favorite because, while I don't really think of story elements as something that I have favorites of, I do know of some that I enjoy. I like that Jackie.

[Jackie, Solstitial Mod]

It was Annie's idea, I just wanted to give it more attention

personally if this goes through I'll be looking for mysteries where people are snowed in, books featuring spooky old houses, people having to follow clues to get treasure, etc etc etc because apparently my reading habits were determined by Scooby Doo.

[Hannah]

Jackie wrote: "It was Annie's idea, I just wanted to give it more attention

personally if this goes through I'll be looking for mysteries where people are snowed in, books featuring spooky old houses, people hav..."

This is exactly the kind of thing I was trying to get at! I'd just really love to have a weekly thread next year where we get to hear all about everyone's favorite story elements, I think that would be super fun. I feel like I sometimes don't realize that I like a particular thing in my books until I hear someone else talking about it. Thanks everyone for workshopping this one, and Annie especially for the "you know you love" wording!

[Angie]

Jackie wrote: "It was Annie's idea, I just wanted to give it more attention

personally if this goes through I'll be looking for mysteries where people are snowed in, books featuring spooky old houses, people hav..."

And I'll be looking to see what you read, because I love all of those things, lol.

[Irene]

Jackie wrote: "I like "read a book with a story element you know you love""

Love this rewording! I'd definitely upvote it. It can't be that hard to find a book with that "there was only 1 bed" trope, hahaha

[[deleted user]]

i'm glad everyone likes the wording! thanks hannah & angie for the original idea. i'm happy if anyone wants to submit

read a book with a trope or story element you know you love

at the next poll suggestions! i rarely make it time

[[deleted user]]

i have a lot of shelves to help me keep track of tropes i love! like friends-to-lovers romances, snowed in mysteries & pirate fantasies (like five pages of them, whoops)

[Emily, Conterminous Mod]

I think one that I'm drawn to is feminine-woman-turned-spy in WWII historical fiction lol. I seem to keep finding those to read.

[Nadine in NY]

I've got a soft spot for romances where the couple - who barely know each other at this point - is forced to seek shelter while travelling (due to snow, storm, mudslide, bitter cold, whatever). Hijinks always ensue...

[dalex]

I love overcomers (especially strong women) and dysfunctional families. And I'll read just about anything set post-apocalypse or featuring AI/robots.

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

I like a romance with enemies to lovers where both characters are feisty. So they meet cut, fight a lot and, as Nadine said, hijinks ensue.
Similar to the old Spencer Tracy/ Katherine Hepburn movies.

I like mysteries with locked rooms, in old mansions, on islands, etc. I like books set in England or France 18th - 19th century. I like time travel, alternate universes, and other mind-boggling tropes. I like books that experiment with form, like telling the story out of order, or backwards or all mixed up (like Cloud Atlas). I like books where kids act and talk like kids, that is somewhat randomly and selfishly, rather than being in the story to comfort and guide adults.

I stay away from horror and post-apocalyptic ( though I loved Station Eleven) and I cannot read any more books about Nazis. In general, I avoid books described as “gripping “ or “chilling”, especially true crime or psychopaths. I’m sometimes baffled by books about dysfunctional families. I remember being in one book group with such a book, and I said “No families are this messed up” and more than one person said’ “Oh yes, they are. I lived in one.”. My family was very unconventional in some ways but it worked well.

[Kelly Sj]

graphical representations of common storylines, the trope discussion made me remember seeing this, enjoy!
https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/2...

[Angie]

If we're all listing story elements we love...

I love:

* Locked room/trapped together mysteries
* The fantastic meets the mundane (wizard opens office in Chicago, fairies/vampires in the modern world etc.)
* Characters overcoming dysfunctional past/overcoming their own bad choices/redemption
* Found family/unity and brotherhood
* Finding hope in apocalyptic situations/rebuilding society
* Modern westerns
* Haunted/spooky houses or towns

[Nancy]

Robin P wrote: "I like a romance with enemies to lovers where both characters are feisty. So they meet cut, fight a lot and, as Nadine said, hijinks ensue.
Similar to the old Spencer Tracy/ Katherine Hepburn movie..."

Yes, I'm drawn to these too. I also like time travel, World War II where women are important to the resistance, and thrillers that have a slow burn, not some crazy twist you don't see coming.

[Nadine in NY]

If the "favorite trope" type of category comes around again (and I hope it does - I will vote for it if it's "love" - I liked it but did not vote for it before because "love or hate" was too broad, and I don't like reading things I hate anyway), this can be a handy database for finding a book:

SBTB Bookfinder

The site is focused on, but not exclusive to, romances, so it's easier to get results if you're looking for a romance trope, but it's got some other stuff too.

[Milena]

Here is a trope I just made up, although who knows, it might exist:

Leave it to the professionals

A mystery solved by someone who actually knows what they're doing. Law enforcement, private investigator, forensic pathologist, etc. No amateur detectives, and especially no unreliable narrators.

[Angie]

TV Tropes is a good place to find books related to story elements/tropes. Once you find a trope you like, you have to scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Literature. It will give you lots of options (and spoilers will be whited out).

Warning, though. It's easy to lose an afternoon looking at all the tropes.

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

I also love stories where ordinary people come together and rise to the occasion and help each other or save the world. The opposite of Lord of the Flies/ Survivor where people turn against each other.

[Katie]

I have loved reading everyone's story elements that they love. It was interesting to me that people found the previous wording made it a freebie, but that's maybe because I thought of one trope I love (people having to pretend to be in love), and one I hate (love triangles!!!), and since I don't read exclusively fiction or romance, those tropes don't come into my reading too often.

But I like the way it's reworded because it makes me think if there are other elements that I really love in books. Nothing immediately comes to mind, but I do really love books with a sad/devastating ending. Maybe that would count? Either way, I will definitely vote for that prompt.

[Milena]

I am thinking of story elements (I like that wording better than tropes) that you rarely see in books, and so you find it refreshing when you do see them. Some off the top of my head:

- A YA book where both parents are alive
- A book where a woman chooses not to have children (and sticks to it)
- A romance where lack of communication is not used as a plot device
- A book about a friendship that does not turn into romance
- A book featuring a respectful and loving marriage where marital strife is not used as a plot device

I am being somewhat tongue in cheek here, but would welcome input if anyone thinks this can be turned into an appealing prompt. Unfortunately, this would be a prompt where you would have to read the book in order to know if it fits, and I know people tend not to like that.

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

Milena wrote: "I am thinking of story elements (I like that wording better than tropes) that you rarely see in books, and so you find it refreshing when you do see them. Some off the top of my head:

- A YA book ..."

I love the way you described this, it's true of movies too. Tons of orphans, widowed people, singles who move to a small town and find the perfect mate is available there. When I posted above about dysfunctional families, I thought about a New Yorker cartoon where there is an auditorium with just a few people in it. The banner says, "Convention for Adult Children of Functional Families". I guess people think functional relationships where people communicate are boring.

[Conny]

Milena wrote: "I am thinking of story elements (I like that wording better than tropes) that you rarely see in books, and so you find it refreshing when you do see them. Some off the top of my head:

- A YA book where both parents are alive
- A book where a woman chooses not to have children (and sticks to it)
- A romance where lack of communication is not used as a plot device
- A book about a friendship that does not turn into romance
- A book featuring a respectful and loving marriage where marital strife is not used as a plot device

I am being somewhat tongue in cheek here, but would welcome input if anyone thinks this can be turned into an appealing prompt. Unfortunately, this would be a prompt where you would have to read the book in order to know if it fits, and I know people tend not to like that."

Word!! These are things that have bothered me too! Especially since I myself am that person you are describing in your second element ;)

I can add "A book featuring vampires but no werewolves" to the mix. It seems one hardly goes without the other anymore, and I have never understood why that is.

As for the wording of the possible prompt, how about:
A book with a story element you feel is used way too rarely
A book with a story element you would like to see more often
A book that deliberately avoids common story elements of its genre

... or something like that?

[Ellie]

I wouldn't want both the element you love and element you want more of on the list, I think they are very similar.

I think a book that avoids common tropes of its genre is potentially interesting, as genre is quite often heavily associated with said tropes. I would rather that prompt use the word trope than story element though, as the story elements help define the genre.