Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

It's time for our next round of suggestions!

Just a reminder that you can find a full list of prompts already on the 2026 list in the third post on this thread.

A little reminder of how things are done around here:

How it works:
- The topics for the 2026 reading challenge list will be determined by a series of mini-polls, the number of which depends on the number of prompts winning in each mini-polls
- Suggestions for each poll will be opened until 15 suggestions are received and “seconded”.
- The voting thread will open the day after suggestions go live. You can find the schedule here.
- The poll will be posted after the voting thread is opened for 24 hours, and will remain open for three full days.
- Each user has 8 votes to spread between their favorite (top) and least favorite (bottom) prompts
- 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 (between 2 and 5 depending on how the votes are spread)

Rules:
- Each member can only suggest OR second one prompt
- Suggestions close after 15 total seconded prompts

When suggesting and seconding, feel free to provide examples and descriptions that may help other members understand the prompt better. These descriptions and examples will be copied over to the voting thread for further discussion.

As always, please express any and all feedback (respectfully, of course), either here or in The Wild Discussion.


Moving on to Voting:
1. A book listed in any ‘Best Books’ list of 2024 or 2025
2. A book with a character that's in the public domain
3. A book that fits a suggestion that was in the bottom of its poll
4. A book that is either frothy or gothy
5. A book that has been long-listed for the Tournament of Books in any year
6. A book that would fill a favorite prompt from last year's list
7. A book with a primary character who is a woman over 40
8. A book with a character that has been orphaned, adopted or abandoned in any way
9. A book published at least 50 years ago
10. A book with a bird on its cover
11. A book with antonyms in the title
12. A book that would fit the 26th prompt from any ATY52 year
13. A book that was banned or challenged
14. A book with a character pretending to be something or someone else
15. A rainbow book

To Be Seconded:
- A book whose title does not contain the first letter of your name
- A book that is less than 100 pages
- A book read in a "Y" month

I suggest 'A book with a Public Domain character'

This could be a retelling or a new book that includes a character like Sherlock Holmes or Dracula.

A book listed in any ‘Best Books’ list of 2024 or 2025.

(This could be a book from the NPR ‘Books we Love List’ , our own ATY Best books of the month section, books of the year list drawn up by newspapers such as the New York Times, Sunday Times etc. or simply a list drawn up by your own library or local book store)

Read 2 books that are less than 100 pages each

We've all got those "short" books in our TBR.

A book that has been long-listed for the Tournament of Books in any year

This includes winners and books that were shortlisted.

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
https://www.tournamentofbooks.com/about

Emily could attach the spreadsheet?

Robin H-R wrote: "Read 2 books that are less than 100 pages each

We've all got those "short" books in our TBR."

You can't do multi week prompts.

LeahS wrote: "A book listed in any ‘Best Books’ list of 2024 or 2025...."

I second this one.

Hey Robin H-R, that would count as a multi-week prompt so we can't use it for this poll!

Juliet wrote: "I suggest 'A book with a Public Domain character'...
"

I second this

Kendra wrote: "Robin H-R wrote: "Read 2 books that are less than 100 pages each

We've all got those "short" books in our TBR."

You can't do multi week prompts."

Not a multi-week. Read 2 books in one week.

A book published at least 50 years ago.

A suggestion that was bottomed.



Bottoms:
A traditional or contemporary western
A book set primarily underground
A book set during the time of the American Revolution. (1775 - 1783)
A book with a character dealing with birth or rebirth
A book related to the Declaration of Independence
A book with a fraction in the title
A book with an embossed cover or raised lettering
A book from a publishing company, the logotype of which depicting a tangible thing
A poetic book
A book that may pair or connect to a certain architectural style
A book with a horse as a character
A book written in the present tense
A book that features a horse in the title or on the cover
A medical memoir
A book that starts and ends in two different settings
A book with a character who does a necessary, but menial job in your country.
A book with a sitcom character's name in the title.
A book inspired by or related to the Charlie’s Angels franchise
A book with the name of a planet or their moons in the title
A book with a title that contains a pun, a dad joke, or other word play
A book exploring personal or cultural identity
A book that has been made into a movie
A book featuring a lawyer, politician or clergyman
A book considered a space opera.
A book that could earn you a Goodreads bookmark.
A book with a First Responder as a featured character
A book with a character with one of the jobs in the song 40 Hour Week (for a livin') by Alabama
A book with a character who is passing
Read in a -ber month

Emily wrote: "Hey Robin H-R, that would count as a multi-week prompt so we can't use it for this poll!"

It wasn't meant as a multi-week prompt. Read 2 "short" books in one week.

But I will withdraw as it appears to be confusing.

A book that is either frothy or gothy.

Frothy is a book that is light-hearted, a feel-good story, or a book that brings you comfort. It could include a cozy mystery, HEA, general fiction, non-fiction, etc.

Gothy is a book from the Gothic genre or has a gothic setting such as a Gothic Cathedral, castle, mansion, etc.


Frothy:

Midnight at the Blackbird Café

The One-in-a-Million Boy

The Maid

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year

Olivetti

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

https://www.talkingwordy.com/7-lighth...

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

https://modernmrsdarcy.com/feel-good-...

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/th...


Gothy:

The Pillars of the Earth

We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Dracula

The Picture of Dorian Gray

The Fall of the House of Usher / El hundimiento de la Casa User

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

https://www.goodreads.com/genres/gothic

https://www.epicreads.com/blog/gothic...

https://shereadsnovels.com/category/r...

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/book...

https://modernmrsdarcy.com/atmospheri...

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

A book with a character pretending to be something or someone else.

Suggestion:
A book with a bird on its cover

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

I second a suggestion that was bottomed.

Robin, we would count any prompt that requires multiple books as a multi-week prompt. As much as I love the prompt suggestion, it won't fit in here!

A book with a character that has been orphaned, adopted or abandoned in any way.

This can also include anyone (and of any age) in foster care, raised by relatives or others instead of their birth parents, and abandoned animals.

A book that would fill a favorite prompt from last year's list.

I second frothy-gothy!!!

Robin H-R wrote: "Emily wrote: "Hey Robin H-R, that would count as a multi-week prompt so we can't use it for this poll!"

It wasn't meant as a multi-week prompt. Read 2 "short" books in one week.

But I will withd..."

Too bad... I really like this one and would like a way to read 2 very short books and not feel like I'm cheating.

A book whose title does not contain the first letter of your name.

Could be your first name, last name, nickname, etc. So it won't be too hard for people with common letters at the front of their names.

A book with a primary character who is a woman over 40.

I wanted to try this sort of character because I've heard so many times that women feel "invisible" starting in middle age, so I want to shine a light on us all!

Listopias: https://www.goodreads.com/list/tag?id...

Pamela wrote: "I second frothy-gothy!!!"

Thanks, Pamela! I had a feeling you would.

Robin H-R wrote: "Read 2 books that are less than 100 pages each

We've all got those "short" books in our TBR."

Why not just do one?

I’ll second Tournament of Books.

Charlsa wrote: "Pamela wrote: "I second frothy-gothy!!!"

Thanks, Pamela! I had a feeling you would."

Heck yeah!! I actually nominated it in the next post but saw you had so deleted it.

Although frothy AND gothy is my book jam!

Ill second a book that fills a favorite prompt from last year‘s list

Tracy wrote: "A book with a primary character who is a woman over 40.
I wanted to try this sort of character because I've heard so many times that women feel "invisible" starting in middle age, so I want to shin..."

Second

Dixie wrote: "I second a suggestion that was bottomed."

Thank You!!

Shannon SA wrote: "Tracy wrote: "A book with a primary character who is a woman over 40.
I wanted to try this sort of character because I've heard so many times that women feel "invisible" starting in middle age, so ..."

Thanks Shannon!

Pamela wrote: "Robin H-R wrote: "Read 2 books that are less than 100 pages each

We've all got those "short" books in our TBR."

Why not just do one?"

Good idea...I was thinking we had a page requirement, but I don't think we do

Read a book that is less than 100 pages

Better?

Yes that works!

Do we already have a novella on the list?

Tracy wrote: "A book with a primary character who is a woman over 40.
I wanted to try this sort of character because I've heard so many times that women feel "invisible" starting in middle age, so I want to shin..."

Unfortunately a bunch of those lists include lots of men. How about these?
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/6...
https://lithub.com/15-great-books-tha...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://modernmrsdarcy.com/books-seas...

Katie wrote: "Do we already have a novella on the list?"

Yes; 100-250 pages.

A rainbow book

I've added those links to the list, Dixie.

Katie wrote: "Do we already have a novella on the list?"

Yes. It was voted in on Poll 3.

A novella of 100-250 pages

Katie wrote: "Do we already have a novella on the list?"

We do, but it specifies 100-250 pages. This would allow EVEN shorter books or stand alone short stories.

Katherine wrote: "A book that would fill a favorite prompt from last year's list."

Second

Katie, that was already seconded. You can suggest or second something else!

Dixie wrote: "Tracy wrote: "A book with a primary character who is a woman over 40.
I wanted to try this sort of character because I've heard so many times that women feel "invisible" starting in middle age, so ..."

Thanks for finding better lists Dixie!

Chrissie wrote: "A book with a character that has been orphaned, adopted or abandoned in any way.

This can also include anyone (and of any age) in foster care, raised by relatives or others instead of their birth ..."


Second

Tracy wrote: "Katie wrote: "Do we already have a novella on the list?"

We do, but it specifies 100-250 pages. This would allow EVEN shorter books or stand alone short stories."

To me, a novella implies fiction. I have lots of Hourly History books on my TBR.

Kathy wrote: "A book published at least 50 years ago."
I'll second this!

I second A book published at least 50 years ago.

Katie wrote: "Chrissie wrote: "A book with a character that has been orphaned, adopted or abandoned in any way.

This can also include anyone (and of any age) in foster care, raised by relatives or others instea..."

I love this prompt. I hope someone will second it.