Around the Year in 52 Books discussion
Archives
>
2022 Fall Reading Challenge Introduction and FAQs
I don't really understand what "homecoming" is? Is it a school sports event?
I had to Google it.. It's one of those US words that you vaguely think you know about. If my source is right! it seems to be a return of alumni to their school to catch up with teachers, friends etc, there's a sports match and a dance. No doubt someone from the other side of the pond can provide more detail.There also seems to have been a totally unrelated film on Amazon called Homecoming about a sinister wellness group.
I'm just going with Homegoing which was my first thought. There's an Ursula LeGuin book Always Coming Home, which I enjoyed years ago.
Mod
Good question, it's very American-centric. The fall is the American football season in high schools. Some games are played at the home stadium and some away at other schools. Traditionally there is a game at home later in the season, often against a specific rival team. High schools make a big deal of the whole week with days to dress up in team colors or other themes, decorations, a parade with floats, a marching band, a contest for Prom Queen and King, and a dance. You may have seen this in movies. (Actually I went to a girls' school where we had none of this, so others can fill you in more.) In universities, this sometimes is a day for alumni to return to the school as well.
So for the theme, it could have to do with sports, school, teenagers, fall, a parade, a dance - or what I am thinking of - a book where the character actually returns to a home town for whatever reason.
Mod
Mod
Thanks. I think pumpkin spice is much more international than homecoming!
I find myself completed unprepared to read books associated with the Fall. It's still warm out here. My current books don't fit anything.Homecoming:
In my high school, "Home Coming Weekend" revolved around football. Football teams had "home" games (played on our field), and "away" games (played at another school. Homecoming weekend signifies a weekend when the team is playing a home game after being away. It would start with a school assembly where we had to cheer for the football players and cheerleaders. There was a bon-fire one night, and a big football game the next day - I remember a lot of mud. Many schools have a big dance, and students vote a Homecoming Queen and King. It was intended to build school spirit.
For HOME COMING I would use a book...
- about high school students (maybe with sports, school dances, popularity, social drama, drinking).
- about someone coming home, or going back to visit a school
- about some type of reunion (family or school)
- involving sports
I might read the Second book in the Beartown Trilogy. And the new book Winners if I get it in time.
I have a question about the prompt fits the phrase “I’m falling for you”. I’m thinking of using a romance where characters fall in love. Should I translate the prompt to mean the phrase has to be in the book?
Sherri wrote: "I have a question about the prompt fits the phrase “I’m falling for you”. I’m thinking of using a romance where characters fall in love. Should I translate the prompt to mean the phrase has to be i..."I think a romance plot fits the phrase perfectly. It doesn't say the words have to be in the text.
For banned books, does anyone have recommendations for books you might have read for the imprisoned author prompt idea? I've never read anything by Salman Rushdie. Any favorite books that would fit?Robin P wrote: "I have a feeling "pumpkin spice" is an American thing too - the combination of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg used in pumpkin pie. In recent years, it seems like every food company has put out season..."
I agree that it's become a joke. It's particularly bad in Keurig coffee. I had a neighbor who made fabulous pumpkin cookies. They were light on the spice.
"Pumpkin spice" sounds really North American to me so I'll skip that prompt. If it was just the pumpkin than I could choose a Halloween-story but the spices? I don't even know which spices counts as typical pumpkin-spices. And as for "homecoming" - I was sure it was all about going back home to the town where you were brought up, if you hadn't started to talk about it I would have never guessed it had to do with schools and sports! Lol, I wonder how many other prompts in all the groups I"'m a member of that I have misunderstood? I learned something important though in june in connection to one of these prompts, I don't know whether it was in this group or not but it had to do with the nineteenth of June and the end of slavery I think. Well, now I have forgotten the expression.By the way, maybe we should have some prompts some month with connections to different countries?
For pumpkin spice, I'm going with "Something really popular, possibly with an orange color to the cover, and maybe a descriptor to what I might give a pumpkin spice latte" Found a couple BookTok books that fell into that:
Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
These Violent Delights
The Charm Offensive
Pumpkinheads
Mod
As for this Seasonal Challenge, we are very much of the opinion that, while the Summer Challenge was very structured, this one is very adaptable to whatever you envision. If homecoming sounds like someone coming home, feel free to use a book that centers around that! It's really up to how you want to interpret this one.
And Nike, we typically have some prompts in our seasonal challenges that relate to the opposite hemisphere's season (so summer in the north, but winter in the south for our Aussie members). I just took the easy route with this season's challenge.
Thanks for your clarifying thoughts on Homecoming, everyone. While I am sort of familiar with concept through American teen movies and some such, pretty much my only association with the term is a Buffy episode of the same name :D I do feel this is very US-centric indeed (we also don't particularly associate sports event with the fall in Germany, for example) and I'll probably skip a couple of prompts, but who knows, maybe something will pop up unexpectedly while I'm reading something else ;)I like the fact that it's so relaxed, it makes for a nice contrast with the very well-structured summer challenge (which I also loved) :)
I had so much fun with the summer challenge, that I'm going to participate in this one as well. I love fall. I am ready for fall. It's going to be 90 here today - bring on fall weather!!!!! Since this is not for any "prize", I am using The Handmaid's Tale for the banned book. I started it a couple of days ago, but I am not very far in yet.
Connie wrote: "For pumpkin spice, I'm going with "Something really popular, possibly with an orange color to the cover, and maybe a descriptor to what I might give a pumpkin spice latte" Found a couple BookTok ..."
my mind went to a "spicy" romance.
Robin P wrote: "I have a feeling "pumpkin spice" is an American thing too - the combination of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg used in pumpkin pie. In recent years, it seems like every food company has put out season..."My jar of pumpkin spice says: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. It got its name because pumpkin spice is used in pumpkin pies.
And, yes, I'm American, so i have my very own jar of pumpkin spice :)
I'm so glad that other people had questions about homecoming and pumpkin spice. As I wasn't sure about either of these categories, I'm in Scotland. I can definitely find something to fit homecoming as I read lots of books set in schools, so I think any book with school spirit or school sports will count for me. I also like the idea of it being to do with a parade or reunion.
But I'm still struggling to understand what 'reminds you of pumpkin spice' means to me. I know someone said Pumpkin Spice is a popular autumn flavouring, but I don't know how to relate that to a book. Maybe a popular book that makes me think of autumn? Or a popular book set in autumn? Can anyone suggest what books they're doing for this prompt? Or what they are interpreting this prompt to mean?
Honestly, I'm American, and I'll just be going with another fall/Halloween type book for the pumpkin spice prompt, because that's the time of year that it's available so that's what I associate with it. (October is my favorite time of year so I have no shortage of ghost story collections and other fall goodies on my TBR.) If I get really serious about the prompt, I'll pick something with a pumpkin on the cover.
As pumpkin spice items tend to be dyed orange and advertised with pictures of pumpkins, and yet don't actually contain any pumpkin - a book with a misleading title could count, if you wanted to interpret it that way.
Oooh looks like fun! I am going to play along (already have some fall books picked out :D )
I don't like pumpkin spice but it makes me think of being cosy and I associate it with woolly jumpers, checked shirts and wood fires for some reason so that could be a route to go down.
Thank you Emily for that clarification! =) I just remembered I haven't been a member of this very group for very long so I've missed the prompts you mentioned. Since I now understand this challenge is very free spirited I wonder how far I can stretch my interpretation of "pumpkin spices"? I've googled now so I know which spices you mean and those are typical spices in the Indian cuisine. I love India and their food and I have a few books by Indian writers still unread in my shelves. So - from pumpkin to cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and further on to India. Would that be ok or way too far fetched? = D
Another question - I'm not interested in reading books about sports but I still haven't read Harry Potter and I think I can count quidditch as a sport, right?
Honestly…I’ve lived in the US my whole life and went to college here as well and still didn’t realize homecoming meant that kind of event rather than, like, just coming home (I was thinking in a “for the holidays” sense, I think) 😂
Mod
Nike, I don't think either of those interpretations are too far-fetched! And I may be biased, but I think you absolutely should read Harry Potter haha!
Nike wrote: "So - from pumpkin to cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and further on to India."I love the idea of pumpkin spice leading to curry and India! That opens up a whole other avenue for me to consider, too. (Also, my opinion holds no weight, but I myself would absolutely count quidditch as a sport.) [Edit: Emily is so fast!]
Mod
Pumpkin spice cropped up in last year's autumn/fall challenge (when I found out what it was) and I read Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine which had a chapter on it and was quite interesting. This year I'm just going with the pumpkin/Halloween link.
I am planning to go with a book that has a pumpkin on the cover for pumpkin spice. The first thing I always think of for pumpkin spice related things is coffee. The local coffee stand I go to has the flavoring available year round because it is such a hit.
Nike wrote: "Thank you Emily for that clarification! =) I just remembered I haven't been a member of this very group for very long so I've missed the prompts you mentioned. Since I now understand this challeng..."
Not too far fetched at all, Nike! Years ago, when chai first became popular at American coffee shops, it was commonly described as "tastes like pumpkin pie!" as some spices are common between the two. I twitched quietly whenever I heard or read that comparison. But now, when I see promotions for pumpkin spice this or that, my inner snark thinks "oh! tastes like chai now??" ;-)
So, all that to say, I think your path "from pumpkin to cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and further on to India" is spot on and delightful. Go for it!
In our Church, “Homecoming” is the Anniversary of the first day our New Pastor took the pulpit. Usually, followed by a “Dinner on the Ground” or a “Linger Longer”.And then in Foster Care it’s the day the kids are returning home and/or the Anniversary of a full year in Foster also called a “Gotcha Day.” The party’s are similar to a birthday party.
I forget people make pies with pumpkin! Pumpkin spice is definitely firmly linked to coffee in my mind, so I'll be going with a muted orange colour (like the goop they put in PSLs) or something related to coffee.
Homecoming can also mean military members returning from deployment, so something related to the military could work.
Robin P wrote: "I have a feeling "pumpkin spice" is an American thing too - the combination of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg used in pumpkin pie. In recent years, it seems like every food company has put out season..."I am new to this group but your post helped me locate a book that I think fits the prompt. "Everything Except the Coffee: Learning About America From Starbucks, Pumpkin spice makes me think of Starbucks, the fall, and America, As a long time Seattle resident, I've had the chance to watch Starbucks grow from a local shop to a global enterprise that teaches the world something about America (as well as serving coffee),
I need a new reading challenge. I completed the ATY52 and now I’m on my 2nd round of books. Plus I’ve read books that don’t fit the challenge. So the fall reading challenge looks fun.
Mod
It's on our main spreadsheet, just a couple tabs over:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
I found a couple of cozy mysteries with "Pumpkin Spice" in the title:Pumpkin Spice Peril
Death By Pumpkin Spice
I'm planning to read A Catered Halloween:
a cozy mystery featuring sisters who have a catering business. This installment includes the sisters baking pumpkin pie for a customer. They will use pumpkin spice in the pumpkin pie!
Mod
NancyJ wrote: "For banned books, does anyone have recommendations for books you might have read for the imprisoned author prompt idea? I've never read anything by Salman Rushdie. Any favorite books that would fit..."Haroun and the Sea of Stories is accessible and one of my favorite books ever!
Trish wrote: "I'm a little puzzled by having both "a leaf on the cover" and "a tree on the cover". They seem rather similar. Would the "leaf" one have to be on its own, with no tree anywhere in sight?"Most of my tree possibilities don't actually show individual leaves (or even leaves - I seem to have a lot of spooky bare trees on my Halloween shelf). Books with flowers on the cover seem to have much higher chances of showing an individual leaf. (Just my cover hunt findings so far.)
Trish wrote: "I'm a little puzzled by having both "a leaf on the cover" and "a tree on the cover". They seem rather similar. Would the "leaf" one have to be on its own, with no tree anywhere in sight?"The leaf one could be leaves on trees or plants or just leaves with nothing else around. The tree may or may not have leaves since trees can be shadows, completely bare or have needles. There can be overlap between the prompts but there isn't necessarily. That said, I will probably end up with two books that have trees AND leaves just because it's easiest lol
Emily wrote: "I'm a teacher at a high school in the south, so homecoming is a *very* big deal lol. "My son is a high school football player, so it is a very big deal with us, too! :)
My son is in the marching band, so it's a big deal for us too! Our homecoming was this past weekend. Unfortunately the band had a competition so the kids missed the dance. My son at least wasn't too upset about that.I am currently reading Arsenic and Adobo and I'm using it for the pumpkin spice prompt. The main character's best friend works in a coffee shop. Another book that could work, if you want to go the coffee route, is Before the Coffee Gets Cold.
Is there a Completed Challenge thread that I am not seeing?
OK let's have a crack. I'll work out the books as I go.
Mod
Ellie wrote: "I don't really understand what "homecoming" is? Is it a school sports event?"When someone who has left home and moved away returns home.
Around the Year in 52 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
The Love Hypothesis (other topics)Arsenic and Adobo (other topics)
Before the Coffee Gets Cold (other topics)
Haroun and the Sea of Stories (other topics)
Pumpkin Spice Peril (other topics)
More...
It's time for our Fall Seasonal Challenge! We have a series of prompts related to the fall season that is sure to inspire you and help you get those books read as we enter the end of the year.
When?
This challenge runs from September 1, 2022 through November 30, 2022.
The Prompts:
Find a book that...
- Has a red cover
- Fits the phrase "I'm falling for you"
- Has a leaf on the cover
- Is magical realism
- Is set in autumn
- Is historical fiction
- Makes you think of pumpkin spice
- Is one last summer read
- Has a tree on the cover
- Features family drama
- Is a banned book
- Reminds you of homecoming
- Is set in a small town
- Features sports
- Was published in September
How to Complete It
Tackle this challenge any way you'd like! Maybe your goal is to read 6 of the 15 prompts, or maybe you want to finish the whole list twice... it's up to you!
What Qualifies?
Because there is no prize attached to this challenge, you can fill these prompts however you'd like! Picture books? Sure! Rereads? Love them! Short books? Go for it! It's your challenge.
How to Track Your Reading
As always, you can add your name to our Community Spreadsheet and track your progress there, and you can also create your own planning thread within this folder to track your reading and your plans for the challenge.