Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Starting the process off with a bang -- 4 clear winners!

Top:
A book related to the phrase "It's Raining Cats and Dogs"
A book related to night
A book set in one of the 25 most beautiful cities in the world
A book with a number in the title

Bottom:
A book in honour of Wilkie Collins
A book that takes place in 24 hours

Listopias:
A book related to the phrase "It's Raining Cats and Dogs"
A book related to night
A book set in one of the 25 most beautiful cities in the world
A book with a number in the title

The next round of suggestions will go live around noon CST on Friday, July 7.

Woohoo, a good chunk of prompts to start researching! Does anyone keep track of their original plan versus what they actually read each year? Because I overwrite mine but I'd guess I don't read 75% of what I plan.

I think I downvoted beautiful cities, because I haven't really liked the specific cities prompts we've had the last few years, but London and Edinburgh are on that list so should be easy enough.

I love the raining cats and dogs prompt. Just this week I discovered P. Djeli Clark has a new book due next year called The Dead Cat Tail Assassins and I thought, ooh that'll work for raining cats and dogs. But I also like the idea of finding a flood book.

yes! Almost all my top votes made it. Such a good start for me. (:

Ellie wrote: "I love the raining cats and dogs prompt. Just this week I discovered P. Djeli Clark has a new book due next year called The Dead Cat Tail Assassins and I thought, ooh that'll work for raining cats and dogs. But I also like the idea of finding a flood book."

I immediately thought of this book too! Can't wait :)

I didn't vote for number in title (though I'm not upset it made it in) and the only one that didn't get in that I voted for was wood dragon. So I'm pretty pleased with the results... plus it's fun to have four prompts get in on the first poll!

Cats!!! Woohoo!

Didn’t vote for all the top but didn’t downvote any either!

I did downvote the bottom two. I realize that the 24 hour is perfect for next year, but it’s just a truly tough prompt.

I missed voting but these look good!

I probably would've upvoted the Paris option bc I'm an Olympics junkie, but it's included in the 25 Most Beautiful Cities list so I'm fine with that - I'm hoping I can branch out and find a book set somewhere like Istanbul or Cape Town or Tbilisi, for something different, but Paris/Rome/London/NYC are solid standbys there.

Good winners from a good list of suggestions.
Rather liked the wood dragon, hopefully it will be suggested again at some stage.

Ellie wrote: "I think I downvoted beautiful cities, because I haven't really liked the specific cities prompts we've had the last few years, but London and Edinburgh are on that list so should be easy enough.."

I thought that! For the cities of literature prompt I was all "I'll do Edinburgh" and it's amazing how few books are set there!

I voted against the prompt cause NYC-London-Paris made it too easy, but I'll just do a different city (finally a reason to read The Architect's Apprentice!) Or maybe a new Crazy Rich Asians book will come out!

And vampire book, here I come with night!

Pamela wrote: "Ellie wrote: "I think I downvoted beautiful cities, because I haven't really liked the specific cities prompts we've had the last few years, but London and Edinburgh are on that list so should be e..."

Is that the one by Elif Shafak? I really like her and I own two more set in Istanbul. I’m going to shoot for 5 of the cities.

I upvoted three of these prompts so I’m happy. I’m sorry that the two unusual ones (imo) didn’t make it - wood dragons and the terra-cotta army - because they would stretch me more. I think we can be more adventurous at the beginning.

Ashley Marie wrote: "I missed voting but these look good!

I probably would've upvoted the Paris option bc I'm an Olympics junkie, but it's included in the 25 Most Beautiful Cities list so I'm fine with that - I'm hop..."

I just read one book set in Istanbul and will soon start a 2nd (The Strange Journey of Alice Pendelbury and Gardens of Water! Neither was deliberately chosen for that.

Obviously im hurt to have a suggested a prompt that got bottomed. Any know waht related to night means?

Shannon SA wrote: "Good winners from a good list of suggestions.
Rather liked the wood dragon, hopefully it will be suggested again at some stage."

Yes, feel free to submit any that weren't in the bottom in future weeks.

Alicia wrote: "Cats!!! Woohoo!

Didn’t vote for all the top but didn’t downvote any either!

I did downvote the bottom two. I realize that the 24 hour is perfect for next year, but it’s just a truly tough prompt."

The books I loved that were set in 24 hours are all probably novellas that would work this year.

Thomas wrote: "Obviously im hurt to have a suggested a prompt that got bottomed. Any know waht related to night means?"

Maybe it has "night" in the title, or a lot of the book's action happens at night (horror is a good genre here).

Does anyone know how to search the database for setting? Many books have an entry, but they don’t seem searchable. Especially for the less common cities, it would be nice!

Thomas wrote: "Obviously im hurt to have a suggested a prompt that got bottomed. Any know waht related to night means?"

If it was Wilkie Collins, I voted for it and thought it was a good idea, but I imagine many American readers don't even know his name so automatically eliminated it.

Thomas wrote: "Obviously im hurt to have a suggested a prompt that got bottomed. Any know waht related to night means?"

Sorry Thomas, I had a couple in the bottom last year too, and I know it hurts. We all know you contribute a lot every year, so don’t take it to heart.

I’m probably going with a book with “night” in the title, or a book that focuses on night-life. Last year I really wanted books set during the jazz-age, and some of those might fit “night”.

Never mind! In case anyone else wants them, here are some links:
Cape Town https://www.goodreads.com/places/2700...
Cartageña https://www.goodreads.com/places/3448...
Istanbul https://www.goodreads.com/places/1071...

Unfortunately, the alphabetical list ends after 100 pages, in the Ms.

Chrissy wrote: "Does anyone know how to search the database for setting? Many books have an entry, but they don’t seem searchable. Especially for the less common cities, it would be nice!"

It's a bit of a faff, the index only goes up to 100 pages which takes you to M:
https://www.goodreads.com/places/

Otherwise you have to find a book with the setting you want and then click on that link to see others tagged the same. eg for Paris:
Paris: https://www.goodreads.com/places/898-...
Or Singapore:
https://www.goodreads.com/places/111-...

Surprised by the 25 most beautiful cities in the world one! And a little worried, but that's alright. I think one of them is London? So hopefully not too bad for a historical romance fan. And I really like the other three that got in, so yay!

Disappointed that Wilkie Collins got bottomed, though. That would've been a nice one for me!

Thomas wrote: "Any know waht related to night means?"

I intended it as a really open prompt. From my suggestion:
Night in the title or depicted on the cover
Set mostly at night
Involving creatures of the night (vampires, hedgehogs, owls, moths, etc)
Character works in the nighttime economy
One Thousand and One Nights retelling

Some listopias:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/6...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Seoul: https://www.goodreads.com/places/6380...

I voted for Wilkie Collins! I'm disappointed it didn't get in. Actually only one of my 5 up votes made it in. Oh well, maybe next time will be more rewarding!

Last week I discovered there are at least 50 books with “It’s raining cats and dogs” in the title. Many appear to be children’s books but there might be some others that will work.

Tblisi: https://www.goodreads.com/places/7216...

FYI I have the article linked on the listopia for the 25 beautiful cities. I don't know that we will be strictly limited to that list (since, technically, the prompt doesn't reference it directly), but it's a good starting point.

NancyJ wrote: "Is that the one by Elif Shafak? I really like her and I own two more set in Istanbul. I’m going to shoot for 5 of the cities..."

It is- and has been on my list for years! It's one of those books that I always put on the plan when the annual challenge is announced and it comes off by the end of the year...

Ellie- silly me, I actually have an ideal on my TBR

Chrissy wrote: "Does anyone know how to search the database for setting? Many books have an entry, but they don’t seem searchable. Especially for the less common cities, it would be nice!"

I start by doing a tag search. They won’t all fit, but it’s a good start.
Example:
https://www.goodreads.com/genres/ista...

The locations have numeric codes in gr but I can’t find them now. Last year I found a book with the location I wanted, and I clicked on the setting on the main page, and I got to a partial list.

https://www.goodreads.com/places/1071...

You can google books set in the city, and you might get lucky. Mappit has some for many cities.

Emily wrote: "FYI I have the article linked on the listopia for the 25 beautiful cities. I don't know that we will be strictly limited to that list (since, technically, the prompt doesn't reference it directly),..."

The op had several different lists on the wild discussion.

Yes, they narrowed it down to the one when they posted the suggestion on the Suggestions thread.

Goodreads had a cute book list with numbers in the title a month ago. I know I got conned into adding more to my TBR list.

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

I upvoted all but one of the winners, but also both of the bottom votes. Can't win 'em all, eh?

I can get Goodreads settings tags linked for the 25 beautiful cities in the comments of the Listopia just as soon as I have a moment.

Yay a good first round of results! I voted for 3/4. Now to start making my list of ideas even though I'm extremely behind on this year's challenge and should be reading instead..!

I upvoted two of the winners, but I don't mind the two that got in that I didn't vote for.

I am pleased with the results. I voted for the first 3 and was neutral on the fourth, but a book with a number is relatively easy for me to find...so all is good. I am sorry the dragon one did not make it. I do hope it gets put forward again.

I am in agreement with both the down votes, although I am not sure that I actually voted for either of them. I have read 3 of Wilkie Collins books and all were rated 3*, so that prompt did not excite me at all.

Bea wrote: "I am pleased with the results. I voted for the first 3 and was neutral on the fourth, but a book with a number is relatively easy for me to find...so all is good. I am sorry the dragon one did not ..."
It’s not like you actually had to read his books though is it?

Dubhease wrote: "Goodreads had a cute book list with numbers in the title a month ago. I know I got conned into adding more to my TBR list.

https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/2...-..."

Thanks for this, Dubhease. Saving links for the weekly threads down the road and I always need extra links!

Woo results day! It's great to see some different prompts make it in straight away.

NancyJ wrote: "Chrissy wrote: "Does anyone know how to search the database for setting? Many books have an entry, but they don’t seem searchable. Especially for the less common cities, it would be nice!"

I start by doing a tag search..."

I sometimes get lucky using shelf/show. For example:
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Just change the last word in the URL to the city/state/country/region you're looking for. They don't all fit since anyone can shelve any book in any way (maybe they bought the book in Sydney or the main character's name is Sydney, for example), but it's a start.

Then, if nothing catches my fancy, I'll click on one or more book links until I find one with the setting lists. Like The Husband's Secret on the Sydney list.
Clicking on the setting from the book's main page takes me to the places list:
https://www.goodreads.com/places/1030...

These results work for me, they all seem like they could be easy enough.

Amy (Other Amy) you had me excited about the Wilkie Collins so now I am a little disappointed it was in the bottom :) It makes me wonder if there is a way to spin your ideas into prompts...

Ellie wrote: "Woohoo, a good chunk of prompts to start researching! Does anyone keep track of their original plan versus what they actually read each year? Because I overwrite mine but I'd guess I don't read 75%..."

Ellie, I somewhat track 'plan' vs actuals. I have a comment for each prompt in my tracking thread where I list ideas and possibles, and then log what I actually read for the prompt. The brainstorming is fun, but I also rarely seem to follow my 'plan' such as it is. Half the fun for me is to browse my remaining prompts and be surprised when my latest read fulfills one!

Love the results! The only one that didn't make it that I voted for was Wilkie Collins. I'll still end up reading something by him. Looking forward to thinking the prompts through and matching up books for them.

Ever since I read the cozy series featuring Dixie Hemingway, I always think Raining Cat Sitters and Dogs rather than Raining Cats and Dogs.

I do multiple games and challenges with various groups and belong to a local library book group. So if a book comes up on one of those, I will change my plan to put that in. Because I have been reading way more than 52 books a year after retirement, I mostly just plug things in and only have to get strategic at the end. (being retired is great for reading!)

I generally make a plan, but then change it. The main thing for me is to find a place (or jam things in) to put books from the series I'm reading.

I'm not going to plan this early in the year this year. I like to do it during the winter holidays.

I voted for two on the chosen list but can find things easily enough for all the prompts that were voted in. I also voted for and I am disappointed to see Wilkie Collins on the bottom. I'm putting that prompt on my Rejects list. I always participate in Victober and he's a popular author in that event.

I've added links to Goodreads' place tags for all 25 of the cities on the beautiful city list in the comments of the Listopia (link).

Samantha wrote: "Amy (Other Amy) you had me excited about the Wilkie Collins so now I am a little disappointed it was in the bottom :) It makes me wonder if there is a way to spin your ideas into prompts..."

I feel the same. Nothing has dawned on me yet, but if anyone thinks of anything that would work similarly, I would enthusiastically support it.

Glad that my Pirates, Maps or Treasure didn't make it so that someone can suggest the better/broader "X marks the spot"!