[2026] Poll 9 Voting

[Charlsa]

Deborah wrote: "Charlsa wrote: "For 1. A book connected in some way to the "Queen of Crime", Agatha Christie, there was a book released last year titled Marple: Twelve New Mysteries.

It's a collection of a 12 or..."

I read that one, it's great. I had now previously known about that incident in her life.

[Charlsa]

Trish wrote: "Charlsa wrote: "For 1. A book connected in some way to the "Queen of Crime", Agatha Christie, there was a book released last year titled Marple: Twelve New Mysteries."

That one's on my TBR list, too."

Trish, I don't want to wait until 2026 to read it, but I will if the prompt makes it.

[Misty]

1. A book connected in some way to the "Queen of Crime", Agatha Christie
Downvote - she has some racist and xenophobic themes in some of her work, so I would just rather not.

4. A nonfiction book
Upvote - I would rather the subject be somewhat more narrow, but I can never say no to a nonfiction prompt

5.A book set in a desert environment
Upvote - I like this idea a lot. There are deserts on every continent, or there are science fiction or fantasy books such as Dune set on alien deserts.

6. A book that has to do with a favorite animal
Upvote - will always upvote. I love animals, and the possibilities are vast - many different genres of fiction and nonfiction

8. A book inspired by or related to the Charlie’s Angels franchise
Upvote - I love this one. What a fun idea. I immediately thought that I would IMDB all the actors to see what movies they had be in that were made from a book.

10. A book that includes a science related topic
Upvote - yea, I'm a geeky nerd, so........ I will always vote for anything like this. :)

13. A book about wildlife or nature conservation
Upvote - it might be because I just got back from the best week of my life in Yellowstone National Park, but I'm excited about this prompt.

14. A book tagged by Goodreads readers as Literary Fiction
Downvote - just not interested

[Sarah]

These are some great suggestions this week. I'd be okay with any of them getting through, and there are a few that I'm really really hoping make it!

Side note to the mods - I always text the list to my friend and we talk about which ones we like, and because of that I can't remember if I voted already, so I just submitted the form to be safe. If I doubled up, just use my last one lol. :D

[NancyJ]

Misty wrote: "1. A book connected in some way to the "Queen of Crime", Agatha Christie
Downvote - she has some racist and xenophobic themes in some of her work, so I would just rather not.

4. A nonfiction book
..."

We talk about going out to Yellowstone one day too. I’m glad to hear you liked it so much.

Interesting point about Agatha Christie. I figured she was just writing about her times, but it makes me dislike her characters.

Science is linked to everything so it’s not geeky imo. But if it is, cheers to science geeks!

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

Charlsa wrote: "I read that one, it's great. I had now previously known about that incident in her life.."

There's a Dr Who episode about it!

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

Sarah wrote: "These are some great suggestions this week. I'd be okay with any of them getting through, and there are a few that I'm really really hoping make it!

Side note to the mods - I always text the list ..."

Make it hard on us... it looks like you only voted once! (I had to export the voting list into excel and do a duplicate check!)

[Irene]

Thank you all for the great suggestions! I totally missed that it's "a favorite" animal; I guess I could use any book that features an animal then because it's bound to be someone's favorite. I also love the idea of the animal's name in the title, @Trish!

And @Dixie I used to volunteer at the zoo when I was in high school! Definitely a great way to learn a lot about less popular animals!

[Tracy]

I know I've voted toward the late end this time, so I'm sure I won't be informing anyone's decisions. I found I could work with almost any of these prompts but 2. I've never really been interested in Agatha Christie (not a big mystery reader and I haven't even really enjoyed any of the movies made from her books), and I felt Charlie's Angels didn't have much of anywhere to go, especially since I don't really read spy, private eye, etc., sorts of books.

The prompt that seemed to have the most to offer me was 9. A book related to one of the five basic tastes (sweet, salty, bitter, sour, umami/savory). I found a lot in my TBR just looking for Sweet, Salt and Bitter in the title. For Sour I had books with Lemon or Lime in the title, and several books with citrus fruit on the cover. For Umami/Savory I would probably go with a book with an UNsavory character (maybe a Villain book, like Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots (which while verifying the name of the author I was very happy to find that a sequel is due out March 3, 2026! Title appears to be either Villain or Right Hand (I'd pick Right Hand if it were up to me). Now I'm wishing even more that 5 Tastes gets in!

[Dubhease]

I just hope that more than 2 prompts get in or we'll be voting into November.

[NancyJ]

Tracy wrote: "I know I've voted toward the late end this time, so I'm sure I won't be informing anyone's decisions. I found I could work with almost any of these prompts but 2. I've never really been interested ..."

I really like the five tastes too. There are titles with all five words, even Umami (but maybe not savory). I might base it on the personality of the main character, memoir author, or the story itself. I’ve read lots of sweet books, and a few with a bitter or sour attitude. Salty could be a book with a lot of F bombs. I just saw something about the Hench sequel too. She’s very original.

It doesn’t sound like it will get in this week, so there might be a chance to change the wording. It will be easier for us all year if the five (six) words are written directly into the prompt.

I also agree with you about the two you don’t like as much. Charlie’s Angels was a weird mix of feminism and sexism. I suppose there are still fantasy action books with kick ass female protagonists who are also ridiculously attractive and sexy, with kitten voices. I hope they don’t have to run in heels anymore.

[*. tina ｡⋆୨୧˚]

Tracy wrote: "I know I've voted toward the late end this time, so I'm sure I won't be informing anyone's decisions. I found I could work with almost any of these prompts but 2. I've never really been interested ..."

For Agatha Christie, I'm thinking about reading a book in the same setting as one of her books — Egypt, England, France, or maybe even a train, boat, or small village.

[Tracy]

Thanks Tina. If Agatha gets in (which seems very possible), then I will probably take your path on this one.

[Conny]

@Tracy and @Tina, there are a number of iconic, instantly recognizable settings that you could use for the Christie prompt (most notably the Orient Express). To keep it at least a little challenging, you could either find a book with a similar title to one of hers or a typical Christie setting: an English country manor, a London theatre, a train, a boat, the Middle East or, specifically, Baghdad (as a nod to They Came to Baghdad), a vicarage, library, or golf course (all represented in actual Christie titles). See also my earlier post on this thread for some more ideas that won't require you to read any actual Christie :)

[Mie]

I will, should the Agatha Christie prompt get in, be reading Ngaio Marsh. They were both Queens of mystery, both Dame Commander of the British Empire, they were born just 5 years apart (1890 and 1895), and died 6 years apart (1976 and 1982) - I think that fits very well ☺️

[Angie]

If Agatha gets in, I have many possible ideas:

* A book written in 1890 (her birth year)
* A book written in 1976 (the year she passed)
* A book set in a England (where many of her books were set)
* A Doctor Who-related book (she was the subject of a Doctor Who episode)
* A book written about her mysterious disappearance
* Another mystery book written by one of her contemporaries
* Or just one written by her - I love Agatha Christie

[John]

Angie wrote: "If Agatha gets in, I have many possible ideas:

* A book written in 1890 (her birth year)
* A book written in 1976 (the year she passed)
* A book set in a England (where many of her books were set)..."

You could also include a book that involves archeology since she and her second husband were interested in archeology.

[Tracy]

Thanks everyone for all your creative Christie ideas!

[Charlsa]

Trish wrote: "Charlsa wrote: "For 1. A book connected in some way to the "Queen of Crime", Agatha Christie, there was a book released last year titled Marple: Twelve New Mysteries."

That one's on my TBR list, too."

I'm quite excited about it. I've heard from an Agatha Christie lover that is great.

[Charlsa]

Pamela wrote: "Charlsa wrote: "I read that one, it's great. I had now previously known about that incident in her life.."

There's a Dr Who episode about it!"

No! I will try to find that.

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

Charlsa wrote: "Pamela wrote: "Charlsa wrote: "I read that one, it's great. I had now previously known about that incident in her life.."

There's a Dr Who episode about it!"

No! I will try to find that."

Unicorn and the Wasp: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1208130/

Spoilers, but her memory loss is trauma from her interaction with alien life. I thought what a weird story and then found out she really did have a pocket of lost time! Felicity Jones is also in it-- Sister Hilda from Call the Midwife is Agatha.

[Nike]

I'm interested in the idea NancyJ mentioned, the parent-child-relationship. Although I prefer when it's not locked to mother/son and father/daughter. It can be mother/daughter or mother and all her children or father/son and so on. Is anyohe else interested in this idea?

[Sibylle]

Irene wrote: "Any ideas on how to interpret the favorite animal prompt if we either don't have a favorite animal or have a really obscure one, like an okapi? ."



There's a book with an Okapi in it :-)

[Tracy]

NancyJ wrote: "Tracy wrote: "I know I've voted toward the late end this time, so I'm sure I won't be informing anyone's decisions. I found I could work with almost any of these prompts but 2. I've never really be..."

I agree that if the 5 tastes needs to be resubmitted that it be done with the actual tastes listed in the prompt.

[Tracy]

Nike wrote: "I'm interested in the idea NancyJ mentioned, the parent-child-relationship. Although I prefer when it's not locked to mother/son and father/daughter. It can be mother/daughter or mother and all her..."

I've been interested in a parent-child relationship book. I wouldn't want it to be limited to opposite gender pairings though. Internally I feel like I'd want it to be a relationship with one child (because each relationship is different), but I don't feel strongly enough about that to have that limit the prompt. As long as I can self-limit within the boundaries of the prompt.

[Karin]

Have I voted? https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2...

[Andrea]

Nike wrote: "I'm interested in the idea NancyJ mentioned, the parent-child-relationship. Although I prefer when it's not locked to mother/son and father/daughter. It can be mother/daughter or mother and all her children or father/son and so on. Is anyohe else interested in this idea?"

I like the parent-child relationship idea. I have no preference if it's any parent-child pairing in general or if it's limited to opposite gender pairings, although you'll probably get more support with the least restrictive one.

Is there a gender neutral word for son/daughter? Or would we just use "child" for that even when including teenagers and adults?

[Tracy]

Kids? Offspring? Progeny? Closest descendants? (And I’m sure some comedian has said “tax deductions”…)

And I guess to me there’s a difference between “MY child” and “A child” if you are talking about teens and adult children.

[Deborah]

Tracy wrote: "Kids? Offspring? Progeny? Closest descendants? (And I’m sure some comedian has said “tax deductions”…)

And I guess to me there’s a difference between “MY child” and “A child” if you are talking ab..."

Yes and anybody's baby is always their baby.

[Irene]

Sibylle wrote: "There's a book with an Okapi in it :-)"

So cool, thanks Sibylle!!

[Misty]

Andrea wrote: "Is there a gender neutral word for son/daughter?"

Offspring, child/kid, and my personal favorite, crotch goblin

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

Karin wrote: "Have I voted? https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2..."

You don't seem to have

[just lori]

Sibylle wrote: "Irene wrote: "Any ideas on how to interpret the favorite animal prompt if we either don't have a favorite animal or have a really obscure one, like an okapi? ."

[bookcover:What You Can See from He..."

There's also an okapi in The Poisonwood Bible. :)

[Nike]

Misty wrote: "Andrea wrote: "Is there a gender neutral word for son/daughter?"

Offspring, child/kid, and my personal favorite, crotch goblin"

Lol! 😂