Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Here's our next round of results, and we have three winners!

Top:
A book with waves on the cover
A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads in 2024 or 2025
A haunting book

The listopia for the Best Book of the Month has been started and linked here for 2024, and the one for 2025 will begin in January.

Bottom:
A book related to motels
A book that contains another book
A book whose cover looks like a collage

The next round of suggestions will open on Wednesday, July 31 around 9 am CDT.

Back to being on a lucky streak! 2 of my upvotes in the top, 2 of my downvotes in the bottom

especially excited for the ATY Best Book one. one of my favourite reoccurring prompts.

Hmm ... I didn't vote for any of the top (but I didn't down vote them, either)

I did vote an up vote for the haunitng book because I liked how "haunting" could also be interpreted as a book that stays with you for some time.

Happy with waves on the cover and ATY. Not so keen on haunting as I don't want to read ghost stories, and won't know if a book 'haunts' me until I've read it - indeed, probably not for sometime afterwards.

And yes, because I've whinged, of course I've found a 'haunting' book that works;
Square Haunting: Five Writers in London Between the Wars

Yes, I love the Haunting theme and I'm fine with the others as well. I guess I upvoted both Haunting and the Best of ATY but I know that I also upvoted the Collage Cover.

I'm glad the Motel and Book within a Book didn't make it. Not because I don't appreciate the Book within a Book suggestion but I believe I've seen that prompt many times already, (maybe in other reading challenges if it hasn't been in ATY).

And I haven't got a clue what I could read that includes motels. Since most books I read are from Europe and a minor part from Asia I don't know what books could include motels (which I believe is a very North American thing). But maybe it turns out there are a vast amount of books set in motels.

I'm happy with the results anyhow. I do hope the collage theme will be up for voting again.

I’m glad to see we have 3 prompts! I feel like it gets hard towards the end of the process to keep coming up with fresh ideas so it’s better to get more in with each vote. I upvoted “haunting” with the thought of finding something with a haunting tone or mood or from a gothic novel list. I just added In Memoriam by Alice Winn. The GR blurb starts off with “A haunting, virtuosic debut novel” so that’s one option. I didn’t vote for the other 2 but I’m fine with them.

More exciting than my prompt getting in, I spy a new Charlotte McConaghy novel on the waves list! I knew she was writing something to do with Antarctica but hadn't seen it announced yet.

I voted for all the winners this week. I'll try and do better at adding my picks to the BOTM threads. I've been slack this year.

Book Concierge wrote: "Hmm ... I didn't vote for any of the top (but I didn't down vote them, either)"

I'm back to my magic- I downvoted the winners!

Ellie, I came across that new book on the published in 2025 list and immediately added it to my TBR! I'm real excited to read it (I just read Migrations for the air prompt last week!)

Pleased with these. I voted for two of them and thought Best Book was a given.

Sad skulls didn’t get in. I loved that one.

Thanks Ellie for the heads up on the new book by Charlotte McConaghy! I added the book, Wild Dark Shore, to my TBR also. Maybe 2025 will be the year I finally read The Waves by Virginia Woolf.

None of my upvotes made it, although I also didn't downvote any of the winners. Guess that just gives me more to do with my rejects challenge!

I'm happy with the results again this week.

I downvoted the waves prompt, but found An Inquiry Into Love and Death by Simone St. James by checking the listopia. Happy, haunting days!

Her books will also fit the haunting prompt that I upvoted. I read The Sun Down Motel for a past challenge. Not only did it stay with me, but there is a haunting involved. It's probably my favorite of this author's books.

I figured the Best Book was a given so I did not vote for it. I down voted the collage cover and the book within a book prompts.

Ready for the new poll!

I upvoted two out of three. I downvoted "A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads" because we have it every year, and I've never been a fan of it. Even though I now know about the listopias, I still sometimes have trouble trawling through them for something I want to read.

I voted for 2 of these and was neutral on waves.

Trish wrote: "I upvoted two out of three. I downvoted "A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads" because we have it every year, and I've never been a fan of it."

I’m not a fan of it either. I knew it would get in eventually so I up voted it this poll that way it wouldn’t show up in a poll where I really liked more of the choices.

I am never excited about prompts related to covers, but the collage one took my heart :P

I didn't upvote any of the winners nor downvote any of the bottoms. Which is super unusual for me. I'm really not on the same wavelength as the group this year.

I'm also not a fan of the Best Book prompt and downvote it every time. Yet it still gets in every time.

I'm also sad skulls didn't get in, and of course book about books though I plan to use that for my 2016 prompt.

I wasn't super keen on the waves prompt and then looked at the list and the last two books I added to my to read list are on it. Ooops.

Sad the party prompt didn't make it.

1 downvote in the top 2 in the bottom and 1 up vote in the top and 1 in the bottom. I don't really care for the best book prompt - I always struggle to find something I want to read out of the options. And I really was hoping the motel prompt would make it, but I understand why it didn't.

I’m pleased with the results. I think the Aty bom is a must, and I love the alternative interpretations for haunting. I like the waves imagery too, even if I can’t quite see it.

I love prompts that can be interpreted 3 + ways. For haunting I will try to read
1) a book that haunts my memory for a long time (this can’t be planned ahead) - this could be because of a powerful story, or maybe even the writing.
2) a book with a haunting or evocative atmosphere - The Thirteenth Tale
3) a book with ghosts as characters - The Graveyard Book
4 a book with a character haunted or possessed (fantasy or mental illness) - Freshwater
5) a book with a character who is haunted by his or her victims (imagines seeing them) - MacBeth, or The Glass Hotel
5) a book with a character who is haunted by the memory of a lost loved one or lost relationship -
6) others - maybe a faked seance, or someone with other delusions

Ellie wrote: "More exciting than my prompt getting in, I spy a new Charlotte McConaghy novel on the waves list! I knew she was writing something to do with Antarctica but hadn't seen it announced yet.

I voted f..."

I have it on preorder!

Darn, two of those are things I downvoted, but hopefully I can find something I like :) It's worked out for me this hear, after all.

I suggested waves of the cover because I knew I had several books on my TBR that I wanted to get to...but wow, after looking at the list there are so many more options of books I want to read! It will be hard for me to narrow it down. Love that!

I know some people aren't fans of list prompts, but I hope we re-suggest the Dayton Peace Prize because I'm all for books that promote peace and I think people could get behind this idea again.

I also hope to see skull/bone imagery, a book club recommendation, and a party book suggested again.

Jillian wrote: "Trish wrote: "I upvoted two out of three. I downvoted "A book posted in one of the ATY Best Book of the Month threads" because we have it every year, and I've never been a fan of it."

I’m not a fa..."

Clever girl!

Does this look like a wave or a tornado? Or maybe something related to a nuclear bomb?

NancyJ wrote: "

Does this look like a wave or a tornado? Or maybe something related to a nuclear bomb?"

It's a cloud with a similar shape to a wave--it doesn't look like the mushroom cloud from a nuclear explosion to me.

I didn't vote for waves, but since it's been suggested, I've started seeing waves everywhere!
I like haunting, there will be some good choices there.

I've come to realize that I really dislike list prompts. I love lists, but for some reason trying to go through them to find something feels like homework.

Somehow I UP voted 2 on Top, UP voted 2 on the Bottom, and the other Top and Bottom I was neutral on. I guess that's fairly balanced?

I am bummed that A Party Book, and the Dayton Literary Peace Prize didn't get in though.

I don't see the Literary Peace Prize prompt as so much of a list prompt, and more of a theme prompt, especially since you aren't asked to read the exact books that won, just a book by one of the authors who won. Maybe I'll try later if others are still interested (besides Brittany and myself).

Tracy, I was neutral on the Dayton prompt. None of the authors on the list are high priority authors for me. There was enough choices if it did make on the list I could find something.

Jillian wrote: "Tracy, I was neutral on the Dayton prompt. None of the authors on the list are high priority authors for me. There was enough choices if it did make on the list I could find something."

Thanks for being open Jillian. I realize that depending on what you like to read, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize just may not be a fit for people. I just was pointing out my theory because I know a lot of people here are just plain anti-list. And I totally understand that too. I like when someone changes my mind though, so I was hoping that maybe I could return the favor :)

Tracy wrote: "Jillian wrote: "Tracy, I was neutral on the Dayton prompt. None of the authors on the list are high priority authors for me. There was enough choices if it did make on the list I could find somethi..."

I definitely tend to be more of an anti-list voter, but I do try and give lists a chance (I think I’m the only person who likes this year’s Five Book List).

I agree with you that it wasn’t just a typical list prompt. I like how you made it open to any book the author wrote.

Jillian wrote: "Tracy wrote: "Jillian wrote: "Tracy, I was neutral on the Dayton prompt. None of the authors on the list are high priority authors for me. There was enough choices if it did make on the list I coul..."

Thanks Jillian - I tried.

I liked the Five Book LIst once I understood it. I've actually used it beyond meeting the prompt to find other good books on topics I'm interested in!

Mandy wrote: "Sad skulls didn’t get in. I loved that one."

Agree! Skulls and Haunting were my top favourites!

Tracy wrote: "Somehow I UP voted 2 on Top, UP voted 2 on the Bottom, and the other Top and Bottom I was neutral on. I guess that's fairly balanced?

I am bummed that A Party Book, and the Dayton Literary Peace P..."

I upvoted it without even looking at the list, because I like the theme and I know I’ll find something that will stretch me a bit. This year we have a side challenge for list and reward related prompts. This would be perfect for a side challenge next year. Are you game? I probably won’t bother to document my rejects list (it takes too long to check for overlaps) but a shorter list is fun.

I don’t normally like list prompts but I love both the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the 5 Books list. I created GR shelves for both of them so I could track the books that I want to read. My TBR is so massive that I sometimes like to know why I added a book.

I normally don't like list prompts, other than the ATY best books prompt.

I did vote for the 5 books one and I grew to like the NPR one because they both have a range of books (mysteries, non-fiction, SFF, horror, YA and children's lit) and most people should be able to find something to read.

I really dislike list prompts that are on a single genre (like the Hugo awards). I found the Dayton Prize to be very narrow.

I liked the Dayton Literary Prize and would be happy to see it again - it seemed like this year's Edgar prize prompt, where you didn't have to read the exact book that won.

I also liked 'party' and 'skulls', and would be happy to see them re-submitted. Ditto for 'Sandwiches'.

The list so far this year is ok but not exciting.

I'm happy with these. I didnt really want haunting to get in, but not enough to downvote it so I'm sure I can make it work.

I like the BOM list. It's great to get recommendations from our group members.

NancyJ wrote: "

Does this look like a wave or a tornado? Or maybe something related to a nuclear bomb?"

And apparently it's haunting!

I hope someone can write an animal related prompt that is more interesting than the one I came up with.

A couple weeks ago I read an interesting book about wild animals hiding in cities, and today we found out that there is a black bear hiding in a backyard near us. We live in a suburban town near a city. It blows my mind.

Darwin Comes to Town: How the Urban Jungle Drives Evolution

A haunting book will be easy for me since I'm trying to plow through Stephen King books.

The ATY prompt always feels like a freebie to me.

There was one on the list that I wanted to read that had waves on it but I'm sure there are more that I will end up finding.

I'm very happy with these results! I didn't vote for waves because I didn't have time before voting to really scour through my TBR and see, and then regretted that I hadn't voted for it once I saw I had quite a few books that fit! The other two winners were both in my votes as well.

Brittany wrote: "I know some people aren't fans of list prompts, but I hope we re-suggest the Dayton Peace Prize because I'm all for books that promote peace and I think people could get behind this idea again."

I agree- I liked that prompt!

NancyJ wrote: "I hope someone can write an animal related prompt that is more interesting than the one I came up with.

A couple weeks ago I read an interesting book about wild animals hiding in cities, and today..."

What about a book featuring a non-human protagonist (or character). That would open it up a little to include both animals and some fantasy/sci-fi for those who prefer to go that route.

Kiley wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "I hope someone can write an animal related prompt that is more interesting than the one I came up with.

A couple weeks ago I read an interesting book about wild animals hiding in ci..."

We did that in 2022 (slightly different wording, but same idea). I really liked it, and obviously wouldn't mind doing it again since I've been interested in animal POV books. I'm glad you thought to open it up to other non-human characters. Last time the book I read was partially narrated by a fig tree!

NancyJ wrote: "I’m pleased with the results. I think the Aty bom is a must, and I love the alternative interpretations for haunting. I like the waves imagery too, even if I can’t quite see it.

I love prompts tha..."

This is a good list of ideas for this prompt, thank you.