Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Happy Saturday and happy results day! We have lots of results today!

Top
A book related to witches
A book that is between 400-600 pages
A book with a silhouette on the cover

Bottom
A memoir or autobiographical fiction by an author that is a member of a marginalized group
A book whose title is a line from or title of a song

Close Call
A book that contains a day or month in the title (Monday, December, etc.)

Polarizing
A book that you already know the ending of
A book about geography, geology or earth science
A book recommended to you by a family member

There are 7 spots remaining on the 2020 list. We will be waiting to start a new suggestions thread until after the Close Calls poll is complete.

I'm very happy with the winners of this one! I voted for all three of those. I'm surprised the favourite food wasn't a close call or polarizing after all the discussion of it.

I'm good with the top 3. I've been wanting to reread a childhood favorite The Witch of Blackbird Pond so that will likely be one choice although I have found some other possibilities. Lots of choices for the silhouette prompt! The 400-600 page prompt is a good one to fit in a book that doesn't fit anywhere else.

I voted for two of the top three and the other one I liked, just not enough to vote for it, so I'm happy.

I also put one of the bottom in my bottom votes and 2 of the polarizing were in my bottom votes also, so I finally feel like I'm in sync with the majority (which is not usually the case).

I like these results. I didn't vote for the silhouette either way but I felt like there were some books that I could use to fill it. I voted for the other two.

I’m okay with these results. I had one of my top votes in the top and my one downvote in the top. One of my downvotes always makes it into the top!

I’m happy with this weeks. The three top were all up votes for me.

Ugh with the long books!!! I'm sure I can find something, and I might even love it, but ... I'm not a Big Book lover.

I'm actually really excited about these top three as well. I'm going to copy over my possible book choices for silhouette to here from the voting thread.



There are so many ways you can take this one! If you want to be super traditional BIO, you can look for a dark silhouette of an item (person or thing) with a light/white background. Some of my options above are definitely of the KIS variety lol

Pam wrote: "I'm good with the top 3. I've been wanting to reread a childhood favorite The Witch of Blackbird Pond so that will likely be my choice for witches. Lots of choices for the silhouette ..."'


I look forward to the Witch Listopia, because I don't read many books with witches, I will need help.

I've already started the listopias for these!

Silhouette: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Witches: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
400-600 page books: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Nadine wrote: "Pam wrote: "I'm good with the top 3. I've been wanting to reread a childhood favorite The Witch of Blackbird Pond so that will likely be my choice for witches. Lots of choices for the..."

I agree! I added several books, which I just found, to the group spreadsheet but not to the Listopia.

I upvoted two of the winners and the long book one will be easy to fill, and downvoted both the bottom two. I've been away from my computer, and had very poor WIFI connections, so was hard to research.

Wow, I actually voted for all three of the winners!

Nadine wrote: "Ugh with the long books!!! I'm sure I can find something, and I might even love it, but ... I'm not a Big Book lover."

I'm glad there is someone else who is also a fan of shorter books! Enough of mine hit just over the 400 marks that I will be ok, but I almost cried when I tried to do a challenge with an 800 page book. At least we have a book to read in one day to balance it out.

I'm really happy with all the results. The three tops were all up-votes for me, and one or both of the bottom were down-votes. I up-voted the close call and one of the polarizing, and I down-voted another of the polarizing. There's only one on the list that I didn't vote for either way. I can't believe we only have seven prompts left! 😲

I’m okay with the results. I didn’t vote for any of them but I read plenty of 400-600 page books and I’m sure I saw something on a silhouette list that I liked the sound of. Witches might be a bit challenging but I don’t mind some challenges. Relieved song lyrics didn’t make it in. No offence to whoever suggested it. It’s just I had a bad time last time I talked that prompt. Bit sad none of my upvotes made the cut, but that is what the rejects challenge is for. Now off to vote for the close calls.

Not happy about the 400-600 book prompt. We did that exact same prompt this year. And probably the year before. Not crazy about the witch prompt either, but can manage that I guess. I pleased to see the prompt I suggested was polarizing...At least people thought about it. :-)

I've read so many witch books this year. I wish I'd saved one for next year!

I'm super happy witches got in, two of my favourites this year have been witch related. I think I voted for silhouette and I don't mind the page count one. I do prefer shorter books in general but I don't completely avoid longer lengths.

I'm not a fan of long books but I will manage by listening to an audio book over a period of a few weeks while reading other print or digital books. I'm just thinking that it might be quite hard for those reading in order so perhaps we need a prompt that can easily be a shorter book either before or after?

I was think about putting “a book you can read in a day” right before it (kind of like how we had children’s classic right before the 500+ page prompt this year), but I also want to put the book you can read in a day on the week of Leap Day and I don’t know if people will want a longer book that early in the year.

I voted for the top 3 so happy about the winners. I don't have my spreadsheet that I record votes on and I can't remember how i voted for the others. I think 1 of the polarizing was in my bottom (A book that you already know the ending of). I don't think I down voted the bottom 2 but I wasn't that fussed about them so not upset they are bottom.

It's interesting what's considered a long book. Half my TBR fits the 400-600 range, and I wouldn't think of anything less than 500 pages as long. I'm not a fast reader, but I read The Dry in a day at the start of the year, and that's 401 pages.

I'm really happy with the winners this round, probably the most pleased I've been in the whole process. I love the witches prompt especially, and I'm relieved the family recommendation didn't make it, as I'd have had no choice but to wildcard it. A little sad that child's perspective didn't get in, but if all my favourites were winners I wouldn't have anything for my reject list.

I agree, Marie. I've read 22 books this year that were over 400, so I don't really see 400-500 as super long (longer than my normal read, but not super intimidating).

I do think audiobooks are a good way to go, though, for people who don't usually read books over 400 pages!

Emily wrote: "I was think about putting “a book you can read in a day” right before it (kind of like how we had children’s classic right before the 500+ page prompt this year), but I also want to put the book yo..."

I like the idea of doing the short read the week of leap day and the longer book directly after. For people who do only take a day or two to read the short book, then they have essentially over a week and a half to read the longer one. Also, that first week in March is pretty nasty here so I'll still be looking for longer books to cozy up with on those chilly days.

I agree that I like reading longer books in the winter so the first week in March would be perfect.

I don´t read in order, but I am still planning to read the "book you can read in a day" on leap day itself :)

Emily wrote: "I agree, Marie. I've read 22 books this year that were over 400, so I don't really see 400-500 as super long (longer than my normal read, but not super intimidating).

I do think audiobooks are a g..."

I've read lots of books of around 400 and more, I don't think of them as 'super long', but when I'm doing the challenge I tend to panic if I'm getting 'behind' so I like to read books of 300 pages or less for it. I can usually read about 2 books a week that way and finish around July/August.
Anyway I do ATY 50% to make myself read things outside my comfort zone and 50% to reduce my TBR pile , the net result being my TBR stays the same in total !

I feel that... I've been reading in order this year for the first time, and I spent 3 weeks reading The Luminaries for the 500+ page prompt. I picked it up because it was sitting on my bookshelf forever, and I'm really glad I did because it was so good! But after I finished it, I realized I was 3 books behind, so September was the month of short reads lol. I'm caught up now (barely) but I was panicking for a bit.

I do think pairing this one with the book you could read in a day would help give some time for people to not fall too far behind if they are going in order.

Emily wrote: "I agree, Marie. I've read 22 books this year that were over 400, so I don't really see 400-500 as super long (longer than my normal read, but not super intimidating).

I do think audiobooks are a g..."

I think part of this is that there's a lot of YA-esque books with large font and big margins, so they end up being 400+ but still quick reads. The Cinder series being a particularly egregious example (still a good story and would actually be a good pick for someone just wanting to this prompt done).

I’ve read 18 books in the 400-600 of range and 3 that were 600+. The Pillars of the Earth was the longest at just over 1000.

Another option for people who struggle with long books would be graphic novels. The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For would fit or Saga: Book One.

I am so happy that the witches prompt made the list! I have so many options in historical fiction and fantasy as well as some fun ideas about how to twist the prompt a bit to make something unexpected fit.

The other two I'm ok with but not excited about. 400-600 pages is a weird range, imo, because it's kind of like "read a book of medium length." Why? And I have a few "silhouette on the cover" books but not so many as other people seem to have. Doable but not thrilling.

I cannot believe how close we are to finishing up the list!

I will definitely need help with the witch-y prompt. I was looking at my TBR over the weekend, and I don't know that I have any books with witches.

Dalex --I think I'll need some of your historical fiction suggestions.

I can’t link because I’m in the app, but The Witches of New York is historical fiction.

Another one that would work is The Familiars. It just came out this year.

I’m probably going the Classics route with the witches prompt and reading Arthur Miller’s The Crucible.

Lizzy wrote: "Dalex --I think I'll need some of your historical fiction suggestions"

The Ten Best Witch Historical Fiction Novels

Witch Hunts in Historical Fiction

My Top Five Six recommendations:
Witch Light (also titled Corrag and The Highland Witch) by Susan Fletcher
Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
Daughters of the Witching Hill by Mary Sharratt
The Witchfinder's Sister by Beth Underdown
The Wolves of Andover by Kathleen Kent
The Witch's Trinity by Erika Mailman

Linking for you, Liz. :)

The Witches of New York
The Familiars

Hope those are the correct ones. There were multiple books with each name, so I just added the first ones that were on the list. I read the descriptions, and they would both fit.

I don't seem to have much historical fiction on my list, and Dalex has a great list going, but here are some other possible witch books that I have either read or that are on my TBR list include:
Any of the Harry Potter books - love them all!
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - have only read this book in the series, I don't know if the others have witches or not
A Discovery of Witches - TBR
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West - read it, didn't like it, but lots of people love it!
Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch - TBR
Practical Magic - TBR, but loved the movie
Garden Spells - TBR
The Witch of Blackbird Pond - TBR
How to Hang a Witch - TBR - fiction, but written by a descendant of Cotton Mather, who was one of the men responsible for the Salem Witch Trials
The Witches Are Coming - TBR - not actually about witches, but about feminism, politics, etc.
Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power - TBR - nonfiction, feminism, witchcraft
Season of the Witch - TBR - based on Sabrina the Teenage Witch, much darker than the original TV show
The Witch Elm - TBR - not about witches, mystery/thriller/crime
Akata Witch - TBR - middle grade, magical realism
Secondhand Spirits - TBR - cozy mystery
There are more, but that's just a quick sampling.

As someone else who is relying on the group for help with the witch books, I hope you all are adding these great recommendations to the Listopia!!!

Thanks, Nicole! Those are the right ones. :)

Nadine wrote: "As someone else who is relying on the group for help with the witch books, I hope you all are adding these great recommendations to the Listopia!!!"

I looked and saw that many, but not all, of mine were on the Listopia. I added any that I had that weren't.

Liz wrote: "Thanks, Nicole! Those are the right ones. :)"

You're welcome, Liz! :)

Liz wrote: "Another one that would work is The Familiars. It just came out this year."

I loved this book! I knew of the Pendle witch trials beforehand but not much detail, so it was interesting to learn more.

My TBR is hurting with growth today... I had a 'read all about witch hunts' fase when I was around 12. That's 30 years ago so some new books are bound to have been released ;) And I have better access to books now.

I generally read lots of books with witches, just not historical these days.

Make sure you’re all also using the ‘vote’ feature on the Listopias. Then the most well-liked ones will be at the top :)

Nadine wrote: "As someone else who is relying on the group for help with the witch books, I hope you all are adding these great recommendations to the Listopia!!!"

I added a bunch of books & then added some descriptions. Our tastes may or may not overlap, but at least you know why I liked the books or why I am interested in reading them.

Looking over my Read list I had a bit of an existential crisis over what exactly is a witch. Does the person need to refer to themselves as a witch? Is it a female magic-practitioner regardless of title? Is it a magic practitioner of any gender? I ended up adding to the list Magic for Liars and The Night Circus since they both definitely have women performing magic but I can't remember if either actually used the term witch.

I thought about that as well, Shelley. What exactly is a witch? I also thought about if the the book needs to be ABOUT witches or if it can just have some small reference to them or a background witch character. Thinking too hard about this clearly!

But this is the first time that I upvoted all three polarizing prompts!

Since the prompt is related to witches, I don't think it needs to be specifically about them. I'm probably going to stick to cases where they are described as a witch otherwise I'll fall down a rabbit hole of magic users!