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 July 26 and results will be posted in the morning of July 30 (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 with a title that contains the name of a professional sports team
2. A book about obsession or desire
3. A book set in the opposite hemisphere from where you reside
4. A book with a writing implement on the cover
5. A poetic book
6. A modern retelling of an old story, myth, or fairytale
7. A book involving survival
8. A book where someone's head or face is on the cover, but you can't see their eyes
9. A book with the name of a month in the title or in the author's name
10. A book with a lock or a key on the cover
11. A book that may pair or connect to a certain architectural style
12. A book related to a current movie or television show
13. A book with an author or character with a gender neutral name
14. A book with a title that contains a gemstone or jewel or by an author whose name contains a gemstone or a jewel
15. A book related to penguins

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

VOTE HERE: https://forms.gle/QNrxeuUKDcC3Hzw76

THOUGHTS AND IDEAS FROM THE SUGGESTIONS THREAD

1. A book with a title that contains the name of a professional sports team
NHL
Ducks
The Lightning Thief

PWHL
The Siren (Kiera Cass)
The Poetry of Robert Frost
Who's in Charge? Free Will and the Science of the Brain

NFL
When we Were Vikings
Where Eagles Dare
Still Life (Chief Inspector Armand Gamache)

CFL
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
A Lion Among Men (Wicked #3)
The Red and the Black (Stendhal)
There is a lot of cowboy romance searching under ""roughrider""

NBA
The Color of Magic
Practical Magic
Jazz (Toni Morrison)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

WNBA
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Something Lost, Something Gained: Reflections on Life, Love, and Liberty (Hillary Clinton)
A Storm of Swords
Onyx Storm
The Fever Code (Maze Runner)

MLB
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
Red, White and Royal Blue
David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants (Malcom Gladwell)

None of these books are sports books, but you could probably find a sports book for every team if that is something you like to read

Yes it is! Let's add some names and nicknames from the UK's Premier League (soccer):
Arsenal: The Gunners
Aston Villa: The Villains
AFC Bournemouth: The Cherries
Brentford: The Bees
Brighton & Hove Albion: The Seagulls
Chelsea: The Blues
Crystal Palace: The Eagles
Everton: The Toffees
Fulham: The Cottagers
Liverpool: The Reds
Manchester City: The Citizens, The Sky Blues
Manchester United: The Red Devils
Newcastle United: The Magpies
Nottingham Forest: Forest
Southampton: The Saints
Tottenham Hotspur: Spurs, The Lilywhites
West Ham United: The Hammers
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Wolves
plus one I particularly love from the Championship League:
Ipswich Town: The Tractor Boys

2. A book about obsession or desire
Basically books that center on intense longing, fixation, or compulsion - whether emotional, romantic, intellectual, or even pathological. It can encompass stories of female desire or yearning, narratives about obsessive love or heartbreak, or characters consumed by a person, place, object, or idea. Think thrillers with detectives obsessed with solving a case, stalkers fixated on their targets, characters with OCD or ones who simply can’t let go of something - or someone. It also opens the door to memoirs and nonfiction that delve into personal or unusual obsessions. Examples and lists:
All Fours
Sky Daddy
The Safekeep
You
Misery
Madonna in a Fur Coat
Wuthering Heights
Moby-Dick or, The Whale
The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century
A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck

https://beta.thestorygraph.com/readin...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/...

3. A book set in the opposite hemisphere from where you reside
East/West, North/South

4. A book with a writing implement on the cover
Could be anything from a quill to a computer

5. A poetic book
This prompt includes
-books with collections of poems, an epic, or book written in verse
-books that are mainly prose with poems(s) interspersed in the text, such as Alice in Wonderland or The Lord of the Rings
-books that do not have poems per se, but have lyrical descriptive writing or beautiful imagery. See listopia: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...

7. A book involving survival
This would be good for fiction or nonfiction.

Could be surviving a cult, an abusive relationship or divorce, a severe illness, a shark or wild animal attack, a plane crash, a shipwreck, being lost in the woods, stranded like the Donner Party, a war, a pandemic, financial ruin, natural disaster,

OR

some lighter/sarcastic things like high school, gossip, vacation with family, zombie attack…

8. A book where someone's head or face is on the cover, but you can't see their eyes
Could be because they're turned away / in silhouette, their eyes are closed, they're wearing sunglasses or some other reason.
Listopia:https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

9. A book with the name of a month in the title or in the author's name
Examples:
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
April Witch by Majgull Axelsson
September by Rosamunde Pilcher
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The Red Room by August Strindberg
Colors of Goodbye: A Memoir of Holding On, Letting Go, and Reclaiming Joy in the Wake of Loss by September Vaudrey

11. A book that may pair or connect to a certain architectural style
Gothic Architecture
- Key traits: pointed arches, darkness, drama, spiritual intensity
Book match: Gothic fiction, horror, dark fantasy

Brutalism
Key traits: raw, minimalist, concrete, unornamented
Book match: Dystopian fiction, existentialist novels, modernist literature

Mid-Century Modern
Key traits: clean lines, functionality, integration with nature
Book match: Contemporary literary fiction, suburban drama, character studies

Moorish Architecture
Key traits: intricate patterns, arches, domes, spiritual depth
Book match: Magical realism, philosophical fiction, Middle Eastern/Sufi literature

Cottage / Vernacular / Rustic
Key traits: cozy, organic, handmade, regional
Book match: Cozy mysteries, pastoral fiction, folk tales, slice-of-life novels

Art Deco
Key traits: bold, glamorous, geometric, forward-looking
Book match: Jazz Age fiction, noir, glamorous historical fiction

Postmodern Architecture
Key traits: playful, ironic, referential, diverse
Book match: Metafiction, satire, postmodern literature

Examples are non-exhaustive, there are a lot of other architectural styles that the reader may connect to the literary genre

12. A book related to a current movie or television show
It's been a long time since we've had this one!

https://www.imdb.com/news/ni65380165/...
https://mariethethird.com/2025/07/04/...

13. A book with an author or character with a gender neutral name
See suggestion list from different parts of the world:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unisex_...

14. A book with a title that contains a gemstone or jewel or by an author whose name contains a gemstone or a jewel
https://www.gemsociety.org/gemstone-e...

Someone said for team names to add

UK's Premier League (soccer):
Arsenal: The Gunners
Aston Villa: The Villains
AFC Bournemouth: The Cherries
Brentford: The Bees
Brighton & Hove Albion: The Seagulls
Chelsea: The Blues
Crystal Palace: The Eagles
Everton: The Toffees
Fulham: The Cottagers
Liverpool: The Reds
Manchester City: The Citizens, The Sky Blues
Manchester United: The Red Devils
Newcastle United: The Magpies
Nottingham Forest: Forest
Southampton: The Saints
Tottenham Hotspur: Spurs, The Lilywhites
West Ham United: The Hammers
Wolverhampton Wanderers: Wolves
plus one I particularly love from the Championship League:
Ipswich Town: The Tractor Boys

Plus the L.A. Galaxy
And Real Madrid.

And of course the Wrexham Dragons

Here are some more team names from some different sports to widen the pool a bit.

Birmingham Phoenix (cricket)
London Spirit (cricket)
Southern Brave (cricket)
Welsh Fire (cricket)
Manchester Originals (cricket)
Northern Superchargers (cricket)
Oval Invincibles (cricket)
Trent Rockets (cricket)
Leigh Leopards (rugby league)
Leeds Rhinos (rugby league)
Catalan Dragons (rugby league)
Saint Helens (rugby league)
Castleford Tigers (rugby league)
Harlequins (rugby union)
Bath (rugby union)
Scarlets (rugby union)
London Pulse (netball)
Adelaide Crows (Aussie rules)
Fremantle Dockers (Aussie rules)
Geelong Cats (Aussie rules)
Collingwood Magpies (Aussie rules)
Gold Coast Suns (Aussie rules)
Sydney Swans (Aussie rules)

Yay penguins! I’m glad that got nominated.

Some ideas I had about penguin related books from the wild discussion thread:

- Published by Penguin Books
- Set in the Antarctic or another cold, snowy place
- Featuring a penguin as a character e.g The Penguin Lessons or Away with the Penguins
- Featuring characters dressed in formal “penguin” suits like waiters or butlers
- A book with a black and white cover
- A book about an emperor, or a rockhopper, or a chinstrap, or Alexander von Humboldt

I was hoping someone else followed cricket or rugby.

I do not follow sports at all, but I love the "team name" category, because it is specific yet broad, and it's something I can know about a book without having to check a list or look it up somewhere. (Because I know a lot of team names just as a result of living my life among other sports fans all these years.)


For the "penguins" fans, the sports team includes penguins, the Pittsburgh Penguins NHL team.

Good point Nadine about the Penguins! 🐧

Dubhease wrote: "Someone said for team names to add

UK's Premier League (soccer):
Arsenal: The Gunners
Aston Villa: The Villains
AFC Bournemouth: The Cherries
Brentford: The Bees
Brighton & Hove Albion: The Seagu..."

Chicago Fire, New England Revolution, San Jose Earthquakes

What I like about this prompt is while in truth, it's a read anything, it's a read anything you need to spend time finding the match.

Verity wrote: "Yay penguins! I’m glad that got nominated.

Some ideas I had about penguin related books from the wild discussion thread:

- Published by Penguin Books
- Set in the Antarctic or another cold, snowy..."

Other penguin species include
King
Galapagos
Magellanic
African
Macaroni
Royal
Fjordland
Snares
Little, or fairy, penguin.

My thoughts:

I like the hemisphere (we have no setting prompts yet), poetic (lots of ideas here), architectural style (lots of ideas), and retelling prompts. Retelling seems to come up a lot, but it's a prompt I generally like.

I'm not finding much for the month or gemstones prompts.

Can fans of the gemstone prompt provide some examples or links with options from different genres?

Coincidentally, I just received a gemstone prompt (in a random selection challenge) and so far I saw many cozies, WWII and Ice Planet Barbarians. There must be more.

Dixie wrote: "Verity wrote: "Yay penguins! I’m glad that got nominated.

Some ideas I had about penguin related books from the wild discussion thread:

- Published by Penguin Books
- Set in the Antarctic or anot..."

I read these recently and they all fit.

The Last Cold Place: A Field Season Studying Penguins in Antarctica - memoir (the researcher literally gets slapped around by one of her penguins.)
Wild Dark Shore fiction, on an island near Antarctica..
Who Is Vera Kelly? spy fiction (short mention of penguins she saw from the boat in South America.

NancyJ wrote: "Can fans of the gemstone prompt provide some examples or links with options from different genres?

Coincidentally, I just received a gemstone prompt (in a random selection challenge) and so far I..."

I haven't gophered yet, but an author that comes to mind is Pearl S Buck.

I think the wording of the gemstone prompt is a bit unwieldy so won't be voting for it this time but I did start a list for author names a while ago: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

Nadine in NY wrote: "I do not follow sports at all, but I love the "team name" category, because it is specific yet broad, and it's something I can know about a book without having to check a list or look it up somewhe..."

I barely hear a peep about any sport other than English premier league football (which I hate), so the big list of books that apparently contain team names baffles me.

I don't believe that I've voted so negatively before. Quite a lot there I didn't want, and nothing that really grabbed me. 6 down 2 up.

2 up and 6 down. I believe the prompts for obsessions and a retelling should be easy to find. However, for me penguins, locks and keys, months, and gemstones, were difficult. I'm not interested in read a book on poems but if this one is chosen, I'm sure I will find a book thats prose would be considered poetic. Finally, I was bothered by the "current" limiter on the prompt regarding a movie or television connection. It appears that many of the books currently being adapted for film have already been read by me.

Yes, the 'current' did for me on that one.

NancyJ wrote: "Can fans of the gemstone prompt provide some examples or links with options from different genres?

Coincidentally, I just received a gemstone prompt (in a random selection challenge) and so far I..."


If you like classics, there’s The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins or The Pearl by Steinbeck.

For romantic suspense, Elizabeth Lowell has a four book series that works, the Donovan series: Amber Beach, Jade Island, Pearl Cove, and Midnight in Ruby Bayou.

GR has this list:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

This is the least appealing list of suggestions for me so far. There were four I liked, so I ended up four up, four down. But I could have downvoted six or eight easily. If movie/TV gets in, I'm going to stretch my interpretation of "current" to "currently available to watch, including on streaming channels". I'm not a fan of myths and fairytales to start with, so retellings never appeal to me. Nor am I a poetry reader, and I can't tell whether prose strikes me as poetic or not until I'm actually reading it. I upvoted sports team name, obsession, hemisphere, and penguins.

Dixie wrote: "This is the least appealing list of suggestions for me so far. There were four I liked, so I ended up four up, four down. But I could have downvoted six or eight easily. If movie/TV gets in, I'm go..."

Currently available to watch is how I read the movie prompt. Cable and streaming keep them current for years. We need a current or recent list of films and shows. The links posted have future film releases in 2025 - 2027.

I like the architecture prompt better than sports teams, and I’ll vote for both, plus Survival. Hemisphere, movie/tv. I wouldn’t mind if penguins got in.

I think I had eight upvotes for every single vote we've had so far but now I upvoted six, downvoated one and I didn't use all eight.

I do like the architecture prompt most, and then I voted for months, gemstones, penguins, key or lock and writing implement.

I went 4 up, 4 down. My favorite prompt is probably the architecture one. If it doesn't get in, I might do a little side challenge for it.

3 down (current movie, architectural style, and obsession), 5 up.

LeahS wrote: "Yes, the 'current' did for me on that one."

I did current because years ago we did "coming out this year" and I thought "current" opened it up to more than just new things without opening it up too much.

I like the prompts this week- the sweet spot in prompts for me is gives me about 6-8 choices.

3 up and 5 down. For writing utensil, the first book I thought of was !

Pam wrote: "3 up and 5 down. For writing utensil, the first book I thought of was !"

That would be an easy fill if that prompt gets in!

I almost read it to my 4yo grandson recently, but wondered if he might find it too ... inspiring ... 💜

Just pointing out that the prompt is 'related to' a TV show/movie/ not 'turned into'. So you you could read something set in Pittsburgh (The Pitt) a British murder mystery (Midsummer Murders) a book with an senior citizen as a MC (Matlock) etc.

Dixie wrote: "Pam wrote: "3 up and 5 down. For writing utensil, the first book I thought of was !"

That would be an easy fill if that prompt gets in!

I almost read..."

😂😍

Kendra wrote: "Just pointing out that the prompt is 'related to' a TV show/movie/ not 'turned into'. So you you could read something set in Pittsburgh (The Pitt) a British murder mystery (Midsummer Murders) a boo..."

Ah, that does make it better

John wrote: "2 up and 6 down. I believe the prompts for obsessions and a retelling should be easy to find. However, for me penguins, locks and keys, months, and gemstones, were difficult. I'm not interested in ..."

I felt the same about as you about those, too narrow. Of course, I tend to be flexible in my interpretations, so I could make almost anything work.

I voted for the architecture one, but if people don’t read the examples, they may not realize how broad it is. It could be a fun side challenge, picking multiple styles.

Kendra wrote: "Just pointing out that the prompt is 'related to' a TV show/movie/ not 'turned into'. So you you could read something set in Pittsburgh (The Pitt) a British murder mystery (Midsummer Murders) a boo..."

Thanks Kendra! Movie/TV just became an upvote for me. I want to see the Project Hail Mary film, but I already read the book. “Related to” gives me the option to read a different book by the author, or focus on the “first contact” or “end of the world” theme.

Martha Well’s murderbot series is now adapted for television, so that’s my backup. Her books are short, and perfect when I need a break after reading a serious or depressing book.

Robin P wrote: "John wrote: "2 up and 6 down. I believe the prompts for obsessions and a retelling should be easy to find. However, for me penguins, locks and keys, months, and gemstones, were difficult. I'm not i..."

I love the architecture prompt. This could be a great side challenge. It could be as easy or as challenging as you want. Genre matches, title words, cover art (e.g. Art deco), time period, bios, or conceptual matches (postmodern is a challenge).

Finally back at my computer so I can actually formulate my first impressions properly:

1. A book with a title that contains the name of a professional sports team - Not really a fan. I don't care about sports at all so I have little familiarity with team names, at least not enough to necessarily look at a book title and know that it fits without having to consult lists.

2. A book about obsession or desire - Love it! Definite upvote

3. A book set in the opposite hemisphere from where you reside - Most likely a downvote for me. I'm burnt out on geography-based prompts

4. A book with a writing implement on the cover - I love this one too! I can think of a few books off the top of my head that I have that would fit

5. A poetic book - I have no interest in reading poetry, but I do sometimes like novels in verse. Just not enough of an interest in this to vote for it

6. A modern retelling of an old story, myth, or fairytale - This is another one that I feel like has been seen/done a lot, but I tend to like the books I pick for them, so likely an upvote for me

7. A book involving survival - My first instinct was to downvote because I'm not that interested in wilderness survival stories, but once I realized it could fit many other kinds of plotlines, I was a lot more interested. I might even vote for it.

8. A book where someone's head or face is on the cover, but you can't see their eyes - Not a fan at all of the wording with this one, but I do like the concept

9. A book with the name of a month in the title or in the author's name - I'd have to see my options (it would help if I hadn't lost my copy of Seven Days in June!), but I think I'm unlikely to vote for it because it seems pretty limited

10. A book with a lock or a key on the cover - This is limited too, but I'm somehow more intrigued by it. I feel like I've seen quite a few books that fit on my TBR lists

11. A book that may pair or connect to a certain architectural style - I'll be honest, I have no idea what this means. The examples provided helped a bit, but also made it seem like a bit of a freebie to me

12. A book related to a current movie or television show - Meh, I'm indifferent.

13. A book with an author or character with a gender neutral name - This one has grown on me since I first saw it. I was indifferent at first, but the more I think about it, the more I like it!

14. A book with a title that contains a gemstone or jewel or by an author whose name contains a gemstone or a jewel - Again, not a fan of the clunky wording and I wish it was either just title or just author, not both. Either way, I'd have to see how many options I have, since off the top of my head, I can't think of many.

15. A book related to penguins - Cute idea, but not sure I'd vote for it

NancyJ wrote: "Kendra wrote: "Just pointing out that the prompt is 'related to' a TV show/movie/ not 'turned into'. So you you could read something set in Pittsburgh (The Pitt) a British murder mystery (Midsummer..."

I would have been down voting it too if it was yet another 'adapted into a show' prompt.

First impressions

Poll Prompts:
1. A book with a title that contains the name of a professional sports team - neutral. It could be fun, but I don’t know many team names.
2. A book about obsession or desire - Obsession no, desire yes. The lists have books I loved and hated. Neutral
3. A book set in the opposite hemisphere from where you reside - Yes, I like Asian and Australian books.
4. A book with a writing implement on the cover - I didn’t see anything new I would read
5. A poetic book - Poetic or lyrical - yes. Poetry - maybe
6. A modern retelling of an old story, myth, or fairytale - I want to say no, but they’re like candy.
7. A book involving survival - put this way, no. The full description is more interesting. Possible yes
8. A book where someone's head or face is on the cover, but you can't see their eyes - no, the books on the list don’t appeal to me.
9. A book with the name of a month in the title or in the author's name - too limited.
10. A book with a lock or a key on the cover- neutral
11. A book that may pair or connect to a certain architectural style - Yes, I like this.
12. A book related to a current movie or television show - maybe
13. A book with an author or character with a gender neutral name - maybe - is there a list?
14. A book with a title that contains a gemstone or jewel or by an author whose name contains a gemstone or a jewel - no, too limited
15. A book related to penguins - neutral

2 favorites, 3 leaning yes
4 don’t want

I voted 3 up, 5 down. Up votes were ones that I thought I'd most enjoy: A book about obsession/desire (I liked the lists), A poetic book because I like beautiful writing, and pair/connect to architectural style (the connect-to prompt I liked the most).

I'm in the mood for a full rundown:


1. A book with a title that contains the name of a professional sports team
TOP: at first I was interested in this just because of all the possibilities, but once the UK sports teams names were shared (thank you!) I became even more interested as some of the names are so unusual. I most likely will choose to match with "The Tractor Boys" (if we have this prompt)

2. A book about obsession or desire
BOTTOM: just not a feeling I usually enjoy reading about. I'm sure there is a book out there I'd like that would fit, but there are so many other books I already know I'd like to read.

3. A book set in the opposite hemisphere from where you reside
NEUTRAL: I could do this, it just wasn't drawing me in

4. A book with a writing implement on the cover
NEUTRAL: There's a book I have on my TBR with a typewriter on the cover, but it's not the top of my list.

5. A poetic book
TOP: not a big fan of poetry, BUT poetic prose—YES, PLEASE! I'd most likely read The Emperor of Gladness (novel by the poet Ocean Vuong), I Gave You Eyes and You Looked Toward Darkness or When I Sing, Mountains Dance (both by Irene Solà, also novels by a poet).

I have read and can recommend: I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning (by Keiran Goddard, another poet novelist), Orbital (by Samantha Harvey, who is not a poet, but has a degree in philosopy. This novel was also very poetic), and lastly Know My Name (the amazing memoir by Chanel Miller that I am a bit more than halfway through — she studied literature but is not a poet. Many of her descriptions of her emotional state and what she went through are very poetic, though).

6. A modern retelling of an old story, myth, or fairytale
NEUTRAL: there is a book or two I could put here, but again, not books on the top of my list

7. A book involving survival
TOP: my suggestion, so... I have two primary novels I'm interested in. One about looking for ways to survive climate change, and one about surviving the complicated and difficult life of an immigrant.

8. A book where someone's head or face is on the cover, but you can't see their eyes
NEUTRAL: I have a few books by an author new to me that could fit here, but they also fit in 3 other prompts that we have already voted in.

9. A book with the name of a month in the title or in the author's name
TOP: at first I thought this would be very limiting, but it turns out I have several options that I'm quite interested in.

10. A book with a lock or a key on the cover
NEUTRAL: sounds most likely to show up on a murder mystery, which I usually don't read.

11. A book that may pair or connect to a certain architectural style
TOP: no specific ideas, but the examples made it seem very plausible, and the process of finding a match sounds like fun (I enjoy architecture too).

12. A book related to a current movie or television show
NEUTRAL: at first I was going to bottom this, but then someone (the suggester?) pointed out that it's just "related to" and not that it has to be a book that current video media is based on. I'm sure I could work this one out, but like other prompts above, there are other prompts that already have a fit I'm more interested in.

13. A book with an author or character with a gender-neutral name
TOP: I think I tried suggesting this one last year, and I'm still interested. I thank the suggester for sharing a Wikipedia page that also points out MANY international gender-neutral names! So many more options now :)

14. A book with a title that contains a gemstone or jewel or by an author whose name contains a gemstone or a jewel
TOP: another one that I thought would be limiting until I started poking around some more. Based on the prompt wording, I'm thinking that the author surnames of Chambers (amber) and Pearlman (pearl) would still count. I also have a couple of titles that would work in a more straightforward way (they include Pearl and Diamond in their titles).

15. A book related to penguins
NEUTRAL: if I had another vote I would have UP voted this, and I would if it were suggested again. I like the flexibility of choosing a cold climate (general), a setting where penguins live (specific), characters wearing tuxedos, actual penguins, a father who takes a more prominent role in raising his kids, or maybe even a Winter Olympian whose sport is bobsled, luge, or ski-jumping (sports that look mostly like penguins sliding down a snow bank).

5 down (Month in title/author's name, gemstone, penguins, gender-neutral name, and opposite hemisphere).
I remembered the gemstone prompt as having an 'and' and didn't read the list that closely this time. I'm just burned out on geographical and/or translated prompts.

3 up (current TV/Movie, architectural, and team names)
I started the 'Reacher' series during the last challenge and would love to fit another novel for this year. I'm also reading Michael Connelly (The Lincoln Lawyer, Bosch) that would work. Architectural for me would be Gothic, an easy pick. Team names is a 'read a book' prompt that would be fun to research for me.

Can I also direct people towards US Minor League Baseball teams?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...

Some personal favorites: Albuquerque Isotopes, Sugar Land Space Cowboys (although Skeeters was better), Akron RubberDucks, Richmond Flying Squirrels, Rocket City Trash Pandas, Amarillo Sod Poodles

I must say... I might screw up the architecture one cause I keep thinking of it as an excuse to read a book on architecture.

Shelley wrote: "Can I also direct people towards US Minor League Baseball teams?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...

Some personal favorites: Albuquerque Isotopes, Sugar L..."

Hahaha these are great, thanks! If this doesn't get in, I might do a side challenge with a monthly team name.

1. A book with a title that contains the name of a professional sports team Neutral-not a big sports person
2. A book about obsession or desire-neutral/up sounds like a lot of thrillers i read
3. A book set in the opposite hemisphere from where you reside-neutral-hard to find some of these
4. A book with a writing implement on the cover-neutral/up interesting
5. A poetic book-down! unless i read poet x, i got nothing on the list for this
6. A modern retelling of an old story, myth, or fairytale-neutral/down-done this before
7. A book involving survival-neutral-if i can find a good thriller
8. A book where someone's head or face is on the cover, but you can't see their eyes-up-i feel like i have a lot that meets this
9. A book with the name of a month in the title or in the author's name neutral/down done this before didn't like it
10. A book with a lock or a key on the cover-up-feel like i have a bunch on my tbr that this meets
11. A book that may pair or connect to a certain architectural style down-not my fancy
12. A book related to a current movie or television show-maybe lots of stuff becoming netflix shows
13. A book with an author or character with a gender neutral name maybe-my tbr is long
14. A book with a title that contains a gemstone or jewel or by an author whose name contains a gemstone or a jewel down/neutral-
15. A book related to penguins maybe

Just pointing out that the name of a team can appear in the title of a great many books that have nothing to do with sports.

Pamela wrote: "I must say... I might screw up the architecture one cause I keep thinking of it as an excuse to read a book on architecture."

That sounds legit to me! The wording of the prompt doesn’t preclude that. As long as it’s tied to a particular style(s). I read Loving Frank for a book club years ago. It’s biofiction about Frank Lloyd Wright and his woman. My favorite part was learning about the architecture (prairie or organic style). We brought in other books with pictures.

One of the characters in Fall of Giants lived in a prairie style house in Buffalo.

Shelley wrote: "Can I also direct people towards US Minor League Baseball teams?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
Some personal favorites: Albuquerque Isotopes, Sugar L..."

Thanks Shelley,

I could go with Nashville Sounds. I have a book about a songwriter called Sounds Like Love. I didn’t vote for it because nothing came to mind after looking at all the other teams. Finally, I’ve got one.

Shelley wrote: "Can I also direct people towards US Minor League Baseball teams?https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...

Some personal favorites: Albuquerque Isotopes, Sugar L..."

These minor league names remind me of the tv show M*A*S*H and the character Klinger who was a big fan of the Toledo Mud Hens!

Our local minor league team is the Santa Barbara Foresters (no clue why since we don't really have a forest nearby...).

We also, supposedly, will have a women's pro soccer team starting next year (Santa Barbara Sky). I say "supposedly" because they have been pre-selling season ticket deposits for over 3 years now. Never been there for the start of a new sports team, so maybe this is normal?

I think it’s normal. I remember it seemed like they were preselling tickets forever when Portland launched our women’s soccer team ( the Thorns)