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Another round of very clear results! (Y'all are really making it easy on us this year!)

Top:
A book related to a chess piece
A book that has an object that is repeated on the cover

Bottom:
A book related to King Tut
A book by an author who has been threatened, imprisoned or otherwise persecuted because of their work
A book that's unlike what you usually read

Close Call:
A book by an author who uses punctuation in their name

Polarizing:
A book about words or language, or emphasizing the spoken word

Listopias:
A book related to a chess piece
A book that has an object that is repeated on the cover

The next round of suggestions will open on Tuesday, August 30 around 10:30 am CST.

Super disappointed NPR didn't get in. I absolutely love the NPR lists!

It seems like we have a lot of cover prompts but I checked and this is only the fourth one so that's actually reasonable. Maybe a lot have been suggested but not made the list?

I have to confess that the ones in the bottom were downvotes for me so I'm relieved to see that other group members felt the same way,

I'm really disappointed about NPR too. It was a repeat, so I hope someone finds a really good new list soon. We had some great ones in the past.

dalex wrote: "Super disappointed NPR didn't get in. I absolutely love the NPR lists!"

Bummer, yes ... finally a list where I immediately found something I could use! I usually struggle with list prompts because I try to use my existing unread books as much as possible for the prompts.

Happy about the chess piece and the object prompt, though, and surprised that only two prompts made it in!

It was a good week for me... I upvoted both of the tops and downvoted all three of the bottoms. Just a bit sad about compassionate career and the NPR list, but I'll take my wins.

I'm assuming people downvoted NPR list because of the repeat, not because they couldn't find anything on the list to read. I don't mind repeat prompts like that though, especially when the list is updated so frequently.

Here we go! The results are back to the norm for me, where my upvotes are in the bottom!

Disappointed that “a book that’s not your usual read�� didn’t get in, because stretching one’s reading horizons strikes me as the essence of a reading challenge.

MJ, for me, it boils down to the fact that I read pretty widely, and the genres/formats I don't read are because I've tried them and haven't enjoyed them. I do like to get pushed out of my comfort zone, but a prompt like interracial relationship, translated from another language, and birds/bees/bunnies are enough of a push for me.

I really wanted King Tut. I guess now I know what prompt to use for my "suggestion that didn't make it"

Nadine in NY wrote: "I really wanted King Tut. I guess now I know what prompt to use for my "suggestion that didn't make it""

Same. I have some Egypt books to add to the listopia for the suggestion that didn't make it.

I always find the NPR website overwhelming which is the main reason I don’t like the prompt. That it is why it was my only down vote. Every time it makes it I ended up just using the groups listopia and am thankful once that prompt is marked finished.

I’m really happy about the chess prompt. I would have put all votes as an up vote for it if that was allowed.

I think for the chess pieces listopia it would be super helpful if people put a note that states at least which piece it fits, or if it's the game in general. I already see several books that I have no idea what the connection to chess might be.

Okay now it’s in I need to know what this object repeated on cover thing is. Also is it just me or are more prompts getting bottomed than usual

Emily wrote: "MJ, for me, it boils down to the fact that I read pretty widely, and the genres/formats I don't read are because I've tried them and haven't enjoyed them. I do like to get pushed out of my comfort ..."
You are totally right. I already read a wide variety of diverse books. Plus, the majority of prompts that get in are ones I downvoted, or didn’t vote for either way, so really, reading books for them is already challenge enough! It’s still a disappointment, illogical as that might be!

°�ʴ������° wrote: "I think for the chess pieces listopia it would be super helpful if people put a note that states at least which piece it fits, or if it's the game in general. I already see several books that I have no idea what the connection to chess might be."

Agreed!!! Thanks for bringing it up, Amy.

Personally I kept it super simple and went with titles that have chess related words. I might eventually delve deeper and complicate it more but for now that works just fine for me.

MJ wrote: "Here we go! The results are back to the norm for me, where my upvotes are in the bottom!

Disappointed that “a book that’s not your usual read�� didn’t get in, because stretching one’s reading horiz..."

I didn't see "not your usual read" as pushing horizons, it was just too obscure for me. As much as I detest certain genre prompts, I can normally force myself to find something on the list I'll read, even if it only confirms why I hate that genre.

Sad about King Tut... clearly that Grand Egyptian Museum scarred a bunch of people!

dalex wrote: "°�ʴ������° wrote: "I think for the chess pieces listopia it would be super helpful if people put a note that states at least which piece it fits, or if it's the game in general. I already see several ..."

That is what I did as well, added titles and a few author names. The easy bits. I'll add more subject matter stuff later on when I have more caffeine in my system!

I'm disappointed Rock Paper Scissors never made it. I voted for both the ones that made it. I downvoted the NPR list because I had trouble finding anything last year and still haven't read the book I did choose.

It's a shame only two made it, as we are all anxious to give Emily time before the little one arrives

I did 8 upvotes this week, so the fact that I had one in the top, one in the bottom, one close call, and one polarizing is amusing me.

For the NPR fans, we do have it this year and some people felt it was repetitive. For the King Tut fans - put it under the chess piece prompt.

This was the first one I only used 7 votes as I voted for the 2 top ones it is a good result. Sometimes I find books I like in thriller so had voted for one I'm unlikely to read but not particularly upset about not having to try muster up enthusiasm for a genre I tend to avoid.

Jill wrote: "It's a shame only two made it, as we are all anxious to give Emily time before the little one arrives"

I felt like we were way ahead of where we were last year, but our multi-week prompts actually put us at 35 prompts completed after Poll 10, and we are at 30 right now, so maybe we are a bit behind where we were last year. (That being said, for the 2021 list, we were only at 24 prompts after Poll 10, so... middle range?)

We will get a summer reading challenge prompt within the next couple of weeks, and we will have our fall read-a-thon challenge prompt by the end of September as well.

Emily wrote: "Jill wrote: "It's a shame only two made it, as we are all anxious to give Emily time before the little one arrives"

I felt like we were way ahead of where we were last year, but our multi-week pro..."

It's like I want the list done but it's also fun picking them.
We do want to beat Baby though!

I'm happy with these results, and I'm now 3/4 of suggested prompts getting in! I voted for both top and downvoted one of the bottoms. The other two I didn't vote either way but I am relieved they didn't get in.

I do really like Rock Paper Scissors as a prompt and would love to see it suggested again.

Thomas the object repeated is just that. An object that appears more than once on a cover. It doesn't have to be an exact copy of the object. Like, I just added a few books to the Listopia that have palm trees (I have a surprising number of books on my shelves that have palm trees!), some books have patterns of flowers, etc. A BIO option could be that it does have to be an exact copy of the object. If you look at the Listopia you'll get some ideas.

Thomas wrote: "Okay now it’s in I need to know what this object repeated on cover thing is. Also is it just me or are more prompts getting bottomed than usual"

Thomas, if you look at Message 9 on the Poll 9 suggestions you can see some examples of 'objects repeated on the cover' there.

I think that object repeated on the cover will be a hard one for me as I tend to not read the type of fiction books I tend to see this cover for so I might stretch my interpretation for it.

ETA- After looking at the listopia maybe it won't be such a stretch after all.

Yess I'm so happy with these results.

Voted for both top picks, my only wish is that more prompts made it. I really loved the rock/paper/scissors prompt and king tut!

UGH. Neither winner was a vote for me and I am bummed that prompts I really liked didn't make it. Both prompts are quire doable but not at all excited about them.

Sad that the prompt I suggested of unlike what you usual read is in the bottom but I understand why. The repeating object I’m not sure about and will have to look in the listopia. I am excited about the chess piece one though.

Madelynn wrote: "Sad that the prompt I suggested of unlike what you usual read is in the bottom but I understand why. The repeating object I’m not sure about and will have to look in the listopia. I am excited abou..."

I'm bummed your "unusual read" prompt was at the bottom too. At first I thought that was going to be a hard one for me, because, like Emily, I read widely, and the genres I don't read are ones I have absolutely NO interest in. Then I thought of (what I thought was) a creative solution. I was going to read a cookbook that has a framework of memoir or essays about food. I like memoirs and essays, I cook (and watch cooking shows), but have never read a cookbook, which is I guess something that some people do.

Maybe this will be my "prompt that didn't make it" choice!

RachelG. wrote: "I think that object repeated on the cover will be a hard one for me as I tend to not read the type of fiction books I tend to see this cover for so I might stretch my interpretation for it.

ETA- A..."

A fair number of nonfiction books have repeated objects as well, for instance, if it's about dogs, there might be multiple dogs on the cover. It's easier than the one we had a couple years ago of a symmetrical pattern on the cover.

I was concerned that people would be upset that we didn't choose to honor the persecuted writers. I imagine that voters, especially if they don't follow all the threads, could only think of 1 or 2 examples, so they voted it down. Certainly a side challenge or mini-challenge could be done by an individual.

As far as the process, sometimes around now it seems endless, but when it is all over, I actually miss it! Of course, then we can all get busy planning and posting on the individual prompt threads.

Very surprised that the persecuted writers one was bottom!

Otherwise I like both of the ones that got in. I didn't vote for either of them, but the chess prompt should be interesting and I'm sure I can find a book with a repeated object on the cover!

°�ʴ������° wrote: "I think for the chess pieces listopia it would be super helpful if people put a note that states at least which piece it fits, or if it's the game in general. I already see several books that I hav..."

I put in labels on my list, but only half of them stuck. Also when I switched the order of one, the label didn't move with it. I often have to reenter or reclick books on listopias. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

It's not hard to add labels, but I suggest that people check back later to make sure the books and the labels stuck.

Robin P wrote: "RachelG. wrote: "I think that object repeated on the cover will be a hard one for me as I tend to not read the type of fiction books I tend to see this cover for so I might stretch my interpretatio..."

It's funny you brought up symmetrical pattern because I was looking through my tbr pile and found and was thinking it would be great for that prompt which didn't make it last year.

Jill wrote: "I'm disappointed Rock Paper Scissors never made it. I voted for both the ones that made it. I downvoted the NPR list because I had trouble finding anything last year and still haven't read the book..."



I would have liked that one, too. But it can still be suggested again.

NancyJ I've found the list doesn't update immediately. You may have to wait a few minutes to see your changes.

Or ŷ������ is just buggy and it doesn't work right!

I hadn't thought about author's names for the chess piece one, I may use it to continue reading Stephen King's entire catalog (I've read close to 75% of his work already).

Nancy wrote: "NancyJ I've found the list doesn't update immediately. You may have to wait a few minutes to see your changes.

Or ŷ������ is just buggy and it doesn't work right!

I hadn't thought about author..."

And even though this was a prompt that I suggested, I hadn't even thought of an author with a chess piece name! Given that, you could also use Ellery Queen, and I think someone also already suggested an author whose last name is Bishop. There are also authors with the last name of Knight. Even more to choose from!

Nadine in NY wrote: "Jill wrote: "I'm disappointed Rock Paper Scissors never made it. I voted for both the ones that made it. I downvoted the NPR list because I had trouble finding anything last year and still haven't ..."

I hope they both are!

I am really happy with the Chess Piece prompt! I don't hate the repeated object just seems very easy or maybe I just conveniently have a bunch of books that would work :)

I had one up, one down and one neutral for the bottoms. I can understand why people might not like A book that's unlike what you usually read but I had just been thinking I would like to figure out what it is that I like in Fantasy and Sci Fi. I don't read a lot of them but do run into books like Upgrade and Project Hail Mary that I love.

I really like the intention behind reading from an author who has been threatened, imprisoned or otherwise persecuted because of their work but didn't really want to read any of the books I was finding.

I hope rock/paper/scissors makes another appearance!

"Repeated elements" is one of those unpleasantly nebulous categories that has me second-guessing myself and drives me crazy.

I'm pretty sure all the groom statues here are a repeated element, so I should just pick this book and be done with it:

But I can't stop looking at the rest of my TBR ...

Is a flight of stairs a repeated element? It's one stairway, but many stairs.

Are chickadees a repeated element, if they aren't all in the same pose?

And I assume sheep are a repeated element?

If different chickadees are a repeated element, then are silhouettes of two people also a repeated element? they are two different people.

And pinball machines? I THINK these are a repeated element, but they are all different machines.

Is this pattern a repeated element?

Is a field full of grass a repeated element? It's one field, but many blades of grass.

Nadine in NY wrote: ""Repeated elements" is one of those unpleasantly nebulous categories that has me second-guessing myself and drives me crazy."

The prompt is "an object that is repeated" so I myself am disqualifying patterns from my selections. However, nothing says the objects have to be exactly the same, so I am counting any repeated object, though I prefer repetition of very similar objects. I would count statues, the stairs, the chickadees, the sheep, the pinball machines, but not the people (my own mental block probably) or the pattern, or the grass (not really a repetitive object in my mind; that's just how grass works). (Arguably that's just how stairs work too, but I get a very repeating effect from that cover. YMMV.)

Nadine in NY wrote: ""Repeated elements" is one of those unpleasantly nebulous categories that has me second-guessing myself and drives me crazy."

I understand - my brain keeps wanting to overthink this one also! Haha.

Of your examples, I'd say they all count except stairs and grass.

Amy (Other Amy) wrote: "Nadine in NY wrote: ""Repeated elements" is one of those unpleasantly nebulous categories that has me second-guessing myself and drives me crazy."

The prompt is "an object that is repeated" so I m..."


Thanks somehow I had completely missed that it was "object" not "element" - "object" kind of rules out people in general.

I would not count the stairs. If it was multiple separate staircases, like one where there are 2 sets of stairs, then yes. I personally wouldn't consider patterns to be a repeated object but there are quite a few of those on the Listopia. Definitely not grass.

So the birds and the sheep for sure. I could go either way on the pinball machines, I'm not sure I would count that if it was me.

My inspiration for this was . The apples aren't identical, but there are multiples of them. If that helps.

LOL I will do my best to use the apples as my guide!! (And I do want to read that book, too, so I'm adding that one to my list of possibles)

Nadine in NY wrote: ""Repeated elements" is one of those unpleasantly nebulous categories that has me second-guessing myself and drives me crazy.

I'm pretty sure all the groom statues here are a repeated element, so I..."

I just have to say I appreciate how your brain works! I feel like once I start over thinking a prompts its easy to spiral to a state of confusion.

I am using geometric repetition like with The Sentence because triangles are objects? right? so the repetition of them would count in my brain.


I also added Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow to the listopia, which may be a stretch, but the words are repeated exactly in font and color and everything so it *felt* like it fit.

When I looked through my TBR I couldn't find many multiple object covers so I hope that will be a bigger cover trend next year. I find it hard to consider sentient creatures "objects" so again I'm probably making that prompt harder for myself than everyone else is.

Happy the chess piece one made it in.

Emily wrote: "I am using geometric repetition like with The Sentence because triangles are objects? right? so the repetition of them would count in my brain.


I ..."

Personally I would count the triangles in The Sentence, because triangles don't always show up together. I wouldn't count things that naturally/normally occur in multiples like grass (mentioned earlier), the teeth inside a mouth (scattered individual teeth I would count), stairs, two eyes on a face, etc.

I think "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" would easily count, as long as words on a page are considered objects. I wouldn't be against it either way.

I just saw that the UK paperback of The Sentence will be a pattern made out of repeating books, so maybe I'll read that next year.