Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

It's now time to get ready to vote for our next set of prompts! The thread will be open for at least 24 hours before the poll gets posted. This is a good opportunity to ask any question you may have regarding the prompts, do some research, or ask for recommendations.

Voting will open in the morning of Wednesday, August 7 and results will be posted in the morning of Sunday, August 11 (CST time).

How it works:
- When the voting opens, follow the link to the mini-poll that will be added at the end of this post
- You have a total of 8 votes this poll to spread across your favorite and least favorite prompts (you can also use less than 8 votes)
- You can find examples of acceptable voting practices on the Introduction thread.
- The prompts with the more favorable votes (comparing top votes to bottom votes, and looking at the overall number of votes it received) will be added to the final list

We are asking people to include their Goodreads profile address when they vote. To find this, just go to your own profile and then copy the URL/web address. If for some reason you can't link to your Goodreads profile, please post your full Goodreads name with enough identifiable information that we'll be able to access your profile.

Poll Prompts:
1. A book set wholly or partly in an underworld
2. A book with a character who wears a mask
3. A vacation book
4. A book of secrets, lies, or deception
5. A book from a non-human point of view
6. A book with ‘all’ or ‘nothing’ in the title
7. A book related to fashion or the fashion industry
8. A book connected to a place you’ve lived in
9. A book with a main character that has a pet
10. A book with a character who is not heterosexual OR cis-gender
11. A book set in a fictional location
12. A book with a friend or loved one's name on the cover
13. A book where part of or all of the story is set in an Olympic host city
14. A book involving serendipity
15. A book related in some way to parenting a child of any age

Feel free to discuss the prompts below, but please remember to be respectful to the other group members.

VOTE HERE: https://forms.gle/B5XJgSQ9bMaDzu8M8

THOUGHTS AND IDEAS FROM THE SUGGESTIONS THREAD

1. A book set wholly or partly in an underworld
This could include under the soil, under the sea, mythic underworlds, underground transport, the criminal underworld:
Myth, legend, fantasy. Examples: Girl, Goddess, Queen; The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea; Our Wives Under the Sea

Nature: fungi, animals living underground etc. : Underland: A Deep Time Journey; Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures; The Overstory; The Blue Wonder: Why the Sea Glows, Fish Sing, and Other Astonishing Insights from the Ocean

Transport: The Girl Who Reads on the Métro; The Hunt for Red October; I Am the Subway; The Taking of Pelham One Two Three; The Underground Railroad

Classics: Inferno; A Journey to the Centre of the Earth; 20 000 Leagues Under the Sea;The Kraken Wakes

Criminal underworld – many, many choices

2. A book with a character who wears a mask
Doctors, nurses, superheroes, autistic masking, masquerades, set during the pandemic, ski-masks, masked robbers, metaphorical masks, raccoons, etc.
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

3. A vacation book
That could be a book about a vacation, a book you acquired while on vacation, or a book you read on vacation. Or it could take place in a location where you would like to go on vacation. Or maybe reading it just feels like a vacation from whatever is going on in your life at the time.

5. A book from a non-human point of view
Could be an animal, a mythical creature (vampire, zombie, mermaid, ghost, etc) or something like a tree

6. A book with ‘all’ or ‘nothing’ in the title
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

7. A book related to fashion or the fashion industry
Some suggestions:

--a designer:
---The Designer
---A Dress of Violet Taffeta
---By Her Own Design: The Story of Ann Lowe, Society's Best-Kept Secret

--a seamstress or dressmaker, tailor, bootmaker, milliner
--- The Dressmakers of Auschwitz: The True Story of the Women Who Sewed to Survive
---A Thread of Madness

-a fashion icon
---Jackie and Me
--- Audrey Hepburn

-the fashion industry or related to
---The Devil Wears Prada
---Spindle City

-an item of fashion
---The Gown
---The Pink Suit

-fashion tragedies
---Triangle: The Fire That Changed America

-fashion in the title
---Mrs Boots

Lots of possibilites...be creative

8. A book connected to a place you’ve lived in
This could be by an author from that place, set in that place, featuring a character from that place, or connected to the place in some way through the character or author's name.

9. A book with a main character that has a pet
Harry Potter, Lessons in Chemistry, Just for the Summer, etc

10. A book with a character who is not heterosexual OR cis-gender
Ashley Herring Blake’s Bright Falls series: https://www.goodreads.com/series/3249...
Best Urban Fantasy with Gay/LBGTQ Characters: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
Best YA Fiction with LGBTQ Themes/Characters: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/6...
Best Fantasy Books with Gay Main Characters: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...
Graphic Novels Featuring LGBTIQ+ Themes: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
LGBTQ Science Fiction and Fantasy: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...
Best “Dark” Gay Characters: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/6...
Best LGBT Humor: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

12. A book with a friend or loved one's name on the cover
Could be in the title, the author, in a blurb!

13. A book where part of or all of the story is set in an Olympic host city
List of cities here: https://architectureofthegames.net/ol...

15. A book related in some way to parenting a child of any age
Parenting Listopias:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...

Some very interesting suggestions in this round. I could probably upvote up to 6.

I'd love to see some ideas on what meets the definition of "underworld". Drug cartels, hell, setting underneath a city?

Regarding the character that wears a mask, can it be figurative or does it need to be a physical mask?

Liz wrote: "Some very interesting suggestions in this round. I could probably upvote up to 6.

I'd love to see some ideas on what meets the definition of "underworld". Drug cartels, hell, setting underneath a ..."

Regarding wearing a mask, I like that it could include a metaphorical one.

Liz wrote: "Some very interesting suggestions in this round. I could probably upvote up to 6.

I'd love to see some ideas on what meets the definition of "underworld". Drug cartels, hell, setting underneath a ..."

Yes to both of your questions.

Liz wrote: "Regarding the character that wears a mask, can it be figurative or does it need to be a physical mask.."

Does not need to be a physical mask, I'm all for personal interpretation. Here's what I put in the suggestion thread:
Doctors, nurses, superheroes, autistic masking, masquerades, set during the pandemic, ski-masks, masked robbers, metaphorical masks, raccoons, etc

Liz wrote:
I'd love to see some ideas on what meets the definition of "underworld". Drug cartels, hell, setting underneath a ..."

I'm sure Emily will add, but from the nomination post:

This could include under the soil, under the sea, mythic underworlds, underground transport, the criminal underworld:
Myth, legend, fantasy. Examples: Girl, Goddess, Queen; The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea; Our Wives Under the Sea

Nature: fungi, animals living underground etc. : Underland: A Deep Time Journey; Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures; The Overstory; The Blue Wonder: Why the Sea Glows, Fish Sing, and Other Astonishing Insights from the Ocean

Transport: The Girl Who Reads on the Métro; The Hunt for Red October; I Am the Subway; The Taking of Pelham One Two Three; The Underground Railroad

Classics: Inferno; A Journey to the Centre of the Earth; 20 000 Leagues Under the Sea;The Kraken Wakes

Criminal underworld – many, many choices


I'm thinking a pandemic book for the mask prompt!
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

For the record, there is a book on that list which I feel everytime I've looked at a listopia for a winner, is on it. What the heck?

That's a shame underground or underworld has been changed to just underworld. I liked underground better and they don't quite mean the same thing to me. If it gets in I can read some more Lore Olympus, but I would have instantly upvoted underground setting.

For non-human POV that's not Murderbot, I just read and loved Service Model about a robot valet.

I don't think I get the serendipity prompt.

Ellie wrote: "That's a shame underground or underworld has been changed to just underworld. I liked underground better and they don't quite mean the same thing to me. If it gets in I can read some more Lore Olym..."

I agree--I would have probably neither up nor downvoted that, but now it's a definite downvote from me. If it wins I'll read something set underwater or make a goal that's less than 52 next year. I am well past my stage of enjoying books set in any kind of underworld, and that includes Journey to the Centre of the Earth.

Didn't we just do non-human POV? I know I started a book with a horse and hated it and was stressed on what to read for the prompt but decided a vampire book met it..

Books I like with non-human pov characters:

Klara and the Sun
The Last Murder at the End of the World
The Travelling Cat Chronicles
The series that starts with The Original Adventures of Hank the Cowdog (Kids' books, but really good)

Pamela wrote: "Didn't we just do non-human POV? I know I started a book with a horse and hated it and was stressed on what to read for the prompt but decided a vampire book met it.."

We last did it in 2022. Which admittedly does not feel like two years ago.

Sandra wrote: "Books I like with non-human pov characters:

Klara and the Sun
The Last Murder at the End of the World
The Travelling Cat Chronicles
The series that..."

I would definitely recommend Klara and the Sun for this one!

Serendipity can mean that the reader found the book unexpectedly & fortuitously (e.g. you didn’t put the book on hold or weren’t looking for it but came across it and was just what you wanted or needed). It “spoke to you” is one way to think about it. It could also refer to a character in a book who made a serendipitous discovery or a non-fiction book about a scientific discovery.

Pamela wrote: "Didn't we just do non-human POV? I know I started a book with a horse and hated it and was stressed on what to read for the prompt but decided a vampire book met it.."

LOL at the horse! I once tried reading a mystery written from the perspective of the detective's dog but I hated that too.

I think the way the prompt is written is difficult because I interpret it as the entire book being from the non-human POV. A lot of fantasy books I read do include some non-human POV sections (i.e. werewolf, fae, alien, etc etc) but most of them still also have a human main character.

I just realized that I worded the serendipity suggestion differently than I planned, without the word “find”, BUT when I looked up the definition of serendipity (an unplanned fortunate discovery) it seems that the words find or discovery are redundant.

Sorry, suggestions thread descriptions are updated now!

I think I'm going to go up on three setting prompts. We don't have any setting prompts, and while they are my least favorite type of prompt, the three I'm going to vote for (underworld, fictional, and Olympic city) are all really doable. Went up on those three and down on five that are just less exciting for me.

Number 10 seems ambiguous. Does it mean

- a character who is neither heterosexual nor cisgender (the usual meaning, as "a character who is not female OR under 21" would usually be understood to mean a character who is neither female nor under 21)

- a character who is not heterosexual or not cisgender (I guess this was intended, but it would be better written this way)

I find "neither heterosexual not cisgender" silly (& I agree with Rosemary, the wording is odd). What year is it again? I'd struggle harder to find a book whever every single character IS heterosexual & cisgender. Maybe that's just what I'm reading.

Also not into Olympic city for 2025. I get enough of the Olympics every other year when the Games happen. I don't need it to creep into an off-year. I'd like more prompts pertaining to settings but that'll be a downvote for me.

Name of loved one of the cover is also not a fave. In the wild discussion thread, we talked about name of loved one in the book & I liked that. I love finding my daughter's name in a book unexpectedly. Changing it to "on the cover" not only narrows the options, but it's another "on the cover" prompt & I'm getting really tired of those.

I must be feeling negative. I find most of these too narrow (underworld, “all” or “nothing “, name on cover) or too broad (character has a pet, set in fictional location, set in Olympic city). I will probably change my views when I actually vote, I often do.

I feel a bit negative as well Robin.

Every week I feel I am a little out of touch with the group but everything seems to work out when it comes time to read so try to keep that in mind.

On a positive note really like the fashion and fictional location prompts.

I was reading it as not heterosexual AND ALSO not cisgender, which seems to me very difficult. If it's either option, then it seems very easy. I'm not sure which way I would rather have it fall...

I also wish underground had been left in, but I can work with it. I'd probably go the crime route.

I think my favorite prompt is the fashion one, which is hysterical/ironic to me as I care not a whit for fashion, I'm usually found in baggy t-shirts and workout shorts/long pants in the winter!

First impressions -

1. A book set wholly or partly in an underworld - I like this in theory, but I'd need to see what kind of options I actually have

2. A book with a character who wears a mask - Same reaction to this one. I can't think of options off the top of my head other than Phantom of the Opera, but I can easily be convinced

3. A vacation book - I don't like this one quite as much as "a party book" for some reason, but I always have a ton of books that are set on vacations so I might vote for this

4. A book of secrets, lies, or deception - Definite yes for me! I read tons of thrillers, and this would fit well

5. A book from a non-human point of view - I'm a little burnt out on this one since I've done it several times before and always struggle with finding options

6. A book with ‘all’ or ‘nothing’ in the title - Maybe, depending what I can find on my TBR

7. A book related to fashion or the fashion industry - Not particularly interested. I don't like books (ie. Devil Wears Prada) with a heavy emphasis on what people are wearing, but I could potentially be convinced

8. A book connected to a place you’ve lived in - Definite no for me. I've only lived two places in my life and I am not interested in reading about either of them

9. A book with a main character that has a pet - Meh, I've done this one a few times so likely not an upvote but wouldn't downvote

10. A book with a character who is not heterosexual OR cis-gender - I'm a little confused about whether this means the character should be neither of these things, or it's enough to not be one or other?

11. A book set in a fictional location - This is one of the few setting prompts that actually interests me so I might upvote

12. A book with a friend or loved one's name on the cover - Not a big fan. Probably a downvote.

13. A book where part of or all of the story is set in an Olympic host city - I need to look into what cities are on the list, but I'm not particularly interested either. I might not downvote if I saw enough options on the list that I could work with

14. A book involving serendipity - Even after trying to follow the Wild Discussion about this, I still don't get what this means or how to find a book that fits

15. A book related in some way to parenting a child of any age - I actually really like this! I am not a parent, but I love books that deal with "playground politics" or complex parent-child dynamics so this is likely an upvote

Pamela wrote: "Didn't we just do non-human POV? I know I started a book with a horse and hated it and was stressed on what to read for the prompt but decided a vampire book met it.."

I know what you mean. I read a book from the point of a camel, and I had to fight my eyes to stay open. Will probably be a downvote for me.

I think y'all are overthinking the A book with a character who is not heterosexual OR cis-gender prompt. My understanding is that it's basically read a book with an LGBTQIA+ character, which seems easy enough.

Andrea wrote: "I think y'all are overthinking the A book with a character who is not heterosexual OR cis-gender prompt. My understanding is that it's basically read a book with an LGBTQIA+ character, which seems ..."

But Merriam-Webster says this: "As the term transgender has become increasingly prominent, a contrasting term has also settled into the language. Cisgender (also styled as cisgendered and often shortened to cis) describes someone whose internal sense of gender corresponds with the sex the person was identified as having at birth. Most people can be described as cisgender, or cis. If the pronouncement your mom heard at your birth—It's a girl! or It's a boy!—still feels accurate, then you're cisgender."

So my gay male friend, who was born a male and still identifies as a male, would be cisgender by this definition. I can't think of anyone who fits the prompt description except transgendered persons....?

Dixie wrote: "Andrea wrote: "I think y'all are overthinking the A book with a character who is not heterosexual OR cis-gender prompt. My understanding is that it's basically read a book with an LGBTQIA+ characte..."

The prompt says a book with a character that is NOT heterosexual (so basically gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual) OR a character that is NOT cisgender (trans, non-binary, genderqueer).

If you look at the lists provided, any book that features an LGBTQ character will work. The character does not have to be both gay AND trans. For example, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda features a character who identifies as male, the sex assigned to him at birth (this makes him cisgender). He also is gay. Because he is NOT heterosexual, this book would fulfill the prompt.

Andrea wrote: "The prompt says a book with a character that is NOT heterosexual (so basically gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual) OR a character that is NOT cisgender (trans, non-binary, genderqueer)."

It doesn't though. It says a character who is not hetrosexual or cisgender. Implying that they are neigher hetrosexual nor cisgender.
Otherwise it would be A book with a character who is not heterosexual OR not cis-gender.

I'm so excited my prompt made it to voting thanks to Jillian suggesting it on my behalf! (12. A book with a friend or loved one's name on the cover). I like that it works as a title prompt or an author prompt. Sheesh, nowadays they put so many blurbs in the back cover there can be 3 extra just giving their thoughts on the book. There are some really good prompts here so I'm not holding my breath though. Lol

Personally I want this in the challenge cause my daughter will be graduating high school and I like the idea of reading a book strongly featuring her name as a little honor.
My Last Summer with Cassor When Katie Met Cassidy And if it doesn't make it, there is almost always a "didn't make it" prompt.

I am still not sure about how I will vote this time around. The prompt that I am most excited about is parenting one.

The one prompt I know I will struggle with, if it gets in, is the name prompt. It wouldn't be impossible but it would be very hard to find a book that I want to read, given that there are hardly any family members or friends who share their name with Indian authors I want to read. Finding the name in the title is impossible, so that option is out.

Jennifer W wrote: "
I also wish underground had been left in, but I can work with it. I'd probably go the crime route.
..."

Yes, I was sorry I left it out in the end. If it doesn't make it and doesn't bottom out, I will resubmit with the underground option - but certainly underground is included in underworld

On the cis-gender one, the question is whether the person who proposed it meant OR or NOR. I suppose you could consider NOR as a BIO, that is a person who is transsexual or other group that is neither heterosexual nor cis-gender.

Robin P wrote: "On the cis-gender one, the question is whether the person who proposed it meant OR or NOR. I suppose you could consider NOR as a BIO, that is a person who is transsexual or other group that is neit..."

It didn't even occur to me that it could be NOR instead of OR, but as BIO, it makes sense :) NOR in the original prompt would have been a bit difficult, I think, and also, they probably would have worded it differently to begin with ("a character who is neither heterosexual nor cis-gender" perhaps).
I'm intrigued now, however. Will look into the BIO option if the prompt gets in :D

Voting is open!

https://forms.gle/B5XJgSQ9bMaDzu8M8

5 up 3 down but there are few I wouldn't mind getting through. Two of these were the same to me. London was a host city and also where I had lived. The serendipity one is a hit and miss to me , as I wouldn't know until I had read a book, and I don't do rereads.

I voted 6 up and 2 down.

"Up" votes:
1. A book set wholly or partly in an underworld (especially with the broader definition of underworld rather than just Hades.
2. A book with a character who wears a mask
4. A book of secrets, lies, or deception (Doesn't most mysteries or espionage novels involve secrets, lies, and deception?)
5. A book from a non-human point of view
10. A book with a character who is not heterosexual OR cis-gender
11. A book set in a fictional location.

"Down" votes:
7. A book related to fashion or the fashion industry (I'm sure that there may have a book or two on my TBR pile who is a seamstress but I have no interest in this field.)
14. A book involving serendipity. (I read the description but still consider this too nebulous.)

3 up and 5 down this round. Escapism is my reason for reading. Some of these prompts have a PopSugar feel about them and I lost interest in that challenge a few years ago.

Upvotes:
*A vacation book: Since the Caribbean and Island prompts didn't make the list, I could use this prompt as a way to get one of these in
*A book with "all" or "nothing" in the title: I like title prompts and think that the word play in this one is fun
*A book set in a fictional location: A great opportunity to slip in another Discworld novel.

Downvotes
*non-human point of view: it feels overdone
*related to fashion or the fashion industry: if you could see me, you would understand. Hall and Oates had a song with the lyric "Style is timeless, fashion is only now." If this prompt gets in, this is the approach that I will take.
*a book connected to a place that you've lived in: I've only ever lived in the same place where nothing happens that I want to read about.
*character who is not heterosexual OR cisgendered
*Parenting a child of any age

Bec wrote: "It doesn't though. It says a character who is not hetrosexual or cisgender. Implying that they are neigher hetrosexual nor cisgender.
Otherwise it would be A book with a character who is not heterosexual OR not cis-gender...."

Exactly. So, a person who is neither heterosexual nor do they identify with their birth-assigned gender. Transgender isn't a BIO, it's the only category I can come up with that fits the description the author of the prompt provided - and emphasized by capitalizing OR.

If the prompt said "a character who is not young OR old, that would only leave one category -- middle-aged.

The author is welcome to join the discussion and clarify if they wish! Otherwise I will interpret it as they wrote it, which is no heterosexual, no cisgender.

Voted up:

A book with ‘all’ or ‘nothing’ in the title
A book related to fashion or the fashion industry
A book with a main character that has a pet
A book set in a fictional location

Voted down:

A book with a character who is not heterosexual OR cis-gender:
Either this one is too easy (LGBTQ+) or difficult for me to discern.

A book with a friend or loved one's name on the cover: Although it is fun to see my name in a book, it happens seldom, I didn't want to have to search for a friend's name on a cover.

A book involving serendipity: Not for me. It is fun and unexpected when a book I am reading has some kind of connection to another book, but what I love most about that is the unexpected, unlooked for, connection. Not something I want to search for prior to reading.

A book related in some way to parenting a child of any age: I am not a parent nor every wanted to be. Not interested in having this prompt.

Wow ... 1 Up / 7 Down for me

Book Concierge wrote: "Wow ... 1 Up / 7 Down for me"


Same here -

Not overly enthused about many prompts this week. 3 upvotes, 5 downvotes.

Upvotes:

1. A book set wholly or partly in an underworld - I still have a big fondness for the Persephone and Hades myth, so this seems a fun leaping off point for reading a book that has something to do with that!

10. A book with a character who is not heterosexual OR cis-gender - I love reading books with LGBT themes, so this seems like an excellent prompt!

13. A book where part of or all of the story is set in an Olympic host city - There are so many interesting options for this! I’d love to dig into it more

Downvotes:

2. A book with a character who wears a mask
5. A book from a non-human point of view
7. A book related to fashion or the fashion industry
12. A book with a friend or loved one's name on the cover
15. A book related in some way to parenting a child of any age

I had 7 down and 1 up this time as well. I usually don't use all of my votes, so this is a weird list for me.

A friend or family members name in the title was a hard no. The places I have lived prompt is too. Both are too difficult to fill.

Fashion is not high on my like list. It is an industry that promotes so much waste.

I don't want to read parenting books or ones that involve parenting. I have had enough of that in real life, lol.

I like LGBTQ prompts, so with rewording number 10, it would be an upvote next time.

The pet one is just weirdly specific.

I like underworld stories that change the narrative about what the underworld is. That is an upvote.

Joanne wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "Wow ... 1 Up / 7 Down for me"

Same here -"

This is also how I voted. I started with all the downvotes and only found an upvote at the end.

Regarding the discussion about the LGBTQ+ prompt - whether or not the wording is right, it won't be getting voted in just because so many people are confused by it. And many of those will vote either without reading the thread or before having read it.

My suggestion would be to rephrase it as a positive, eliminating all of the negatives.

J wrote: "My suggestion would be to rephrase it as a positive, eliminating all of the negative. "

I agree! If the intent is to have a LGBTQ+ prompt, then word it that way. It's confusing as stated.

Re: underworld, I originally thought is said underwater! I was multi-tasking at the time the suggestions went up. I have been wanting to read The Godfather so I might vote for it. I also like non-fiction about the mafia.

I'm not crazy about this week's options but I have a few upvotes.

Harini wrote: "I am still not sure about how I will vote this time around. The prompt that I am most excited about is parenting one.

The one prompt I know I will struggle with, if it gets in, is the name prompt..."

You could use someone from your Goodreads friends list. It might be a little outside of the intent of the prompt but they are technically friends :)

I guess #10 could be misinterpreted.
My intention was that at least one character is NOT heterosexual and/or NOT cis-gender. In the discussion thread this seemed to be the preferred wording, but that varies depending upon who is participating at the time. Perhaps I should have place "NOT" in front of both words. Just didn't think about it possibly being interpreted in any other way! 😁

I guess I don't worry so much about specific wording. I just interpret as it occurs to me and go with it.

Hope that helps to clarify for those who are (understandably) confused! 😃👍😉

Andrea wrote: "I think y'all are overthinking the A book with a character who is not heterosexual OR cis-gender prompt. My understanding is that it's basically read a book with an LGBTQIA+ character, which seems ..."

Yes! Thank you! 👍😊

As usual, I had only 1-2 downvotes. I like supporting prompts I really connect with!