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Sarah, What's the rundown on these selections?

i havent heard of even one of these! This will be a hard pick....

A lot of the time these sit on my poll list for months before I use them but I'll give it a try.

The Dark Days Club - The second book has showing up on a lot of "Best of" lists. Book 2 was also on the Tor Best of 2017 so far that Kim posted in July.

Winter Tide - on the same tor best of list and people have mentioned an interest in reading it. It also frequently shows up on sale, iirc.

Garden Spells - I first read this when it was new and I liked it. It popped up when I was researching magical realism as a possible nom theme. I was going to use Lincoln in the Bardo but the Moon Sci-Fi came out so heavily in favor of men that I wanted to add another woman author in. This is really a delightful and whimsical book and I think people would like it.

At the Table of Wolves - This showed up in a new release list I was looking at at one point. I've been holding off putting anything new in for at least six months from release date. This one passed the mark and it just looked like wacky fun that people might want to know about.

Twelve Days - Barnes is a prolific author and it seems like he should be on our shelf by now. I've been wanting to read Great Sky Woman for many years. When I saw what this one was about I really wanted to read it. It also popped up in a new releases blog, which is how I saw it in the first place.

Maggie wrote: "i havent heard of even one of these! This will be a hard pick...."

Yay! I've done my job well, then :) This was my favorite thing about when Kim and Penny were doing them.

And two of them are even not related to very sad topics! Two!! We're off to a great start ;-)

But in all seriousness, I'd read all of these. Can't wait to see what wins.

This selection seems like a bit of a departure from what I typically expect from this group. I've only read one of them, and I think it is much lighter fare than what I appreciate the group's usual selections. I will keep an open mind and hope for the best.

What do you mean by "lighter?" Lighter on fantasy or light-hearted?

Lighter on fantasy and tone of the book. I enjoy SAA's books, but I usually go to them when I am in the mood for light reading. I think of her books as beach or bubble bath books.

Are you specifically concerned about Garden Spells or the whole list? I know magical realism isn't to everyone's taste but it's a fantasy subgenre and those are definitely going to end up in polls from time to time.

I don't think Garden Spells is indicative of the tone of the rest of the selections :) If anything, I think it's a reaction to the heavy books we're doing for the re-read, so if anyone really felt like they needed to step back from the darkness of Handmaid's Tale for example, here was an antidote. The rest are, I think, going to feel more in line with our troubled reading selection ;-)

Don't get me wrong - I do enjoy reading SAA. It was just unexpected from the group that introduced me to reads such as Seveneves and Kindred.

The other options are unexpected for other reasons - the YA/Romance descriptions for The Dark Days Club, and the remaining selections that have such limited raters/reviewers. I typically tend to be leery because I've been let down too many times. However, in the Mods I trust, and that is how I shall proceed.

Unexpected is not necessarily bad. Like I said, keeping an open mind about them. Who knows, this may lead me down an avenue of reading that I did not anticipate. It is a new year, time to try new things. :)

The low ratings are bound to happen because I'm using some that have only been out 6 months. I promise that I'm basing the ones I put in here on research and hopefully that means people won't be let down. However, I started Twelve Days yesterday and I'm wondering why in the hell Tor is calling it fantasy? Because I'm 30% in and really glad it isn't winning. There have been a grand total of two hints in a not real world thing.

I did double check next month's selections and I think you'll like them better.

I trust you, Sarah. And, you know I will read them - maybe not always on time. But, I will read whatever the group chooses.

I used to read all of Steven Barnes novels, but I have fallen out of the habit. Twelve Days looks like I would enjoy it and get back to the Steven Barnes' groove. Consider this campaigning, since it's at the bottom of the pile, so far.

Hi Sarah, I LOVE the selections each month and I know you put a lot of work into them, because that’s the way you are! My problem has been time and finding the books. They may be popular, but I haven't jumped on the ebook train. This year I will have a little more time; NF and Classics are my priorities, but I’m going to attempt to get at least one of your group choices in each month, maybe even some past choices ..so excited for 2018! Looking forward to seeing you in this group.

Mmm...I'm switching my vote. I think I feel more in the mood for some Cthulhu.

Noooo!!! Actually, I don't have much of a preference :D Although if I go by my reading buddies they all had really good things to say about Winter Tide and "that was fun" things to say about Dark Days Club...

Cthulhu! Cthulhu! Cthulhu!

My vote could probably be bought... ;)

I take payment in the form of chocolate.

I've never read H.P. Lovecraft, but I'll switch too. It's a great cover.

I probably owe you some chocolate, anyway Sarah. Maybe I can find some time to swing by Theo's soon. :)

Who wants to play King maker?

I went with Winter Tide. I am allergic to books with parasols on the cover and the last book I read by Goodman was not excatly up my alley.

Julia wrote: "I've never read H.P. Lovecraft, but I'll switch too. It's a great cover."

Call of Cthulhu is pretty quick. We can do a quick primer on the Elder Gods, R'lyeh, Lovecraft and Miskatonic though if need be. I think the novella is good to have read. It's really a very small thing to have formed such a vast mythology.

Based on the blurbs Winter Tide is based on the short story The Litany of Earth which is available free on Tor.com (link on the book page). At least it doesn't sound like a prequel. I think I'm going to read that and then decide if I want to read Winter Tide, which is not something I would pick up on my own.

edit: Oh, the first five chapters of Winter Tide are also available on Tor.com!



So if I read the short story and the first five chapters, does that count as reading the book? :D

No way ;)

Hmpf, well I guess I could make it my "outside my comfort zone" read for the TBR challenge.

Try it, you might like it, Sam I am!

I read the highly praised Lovecraft retellings in the Hugo noms last year, and they're just not for me :/ So far the only thing that has anything to do with Lovecraft that I've liked is A Night in the Lonesome October, which really isn't a Lovecraftian retelling.

But I'll stop whining, I posted because I wanted to let others know about the free content, if someone else isn't sure if they want to read it or not.

I'm also hesitant. My library had it so I think I'll try it. Maybe.

I read The Call of Cthulhu last year and was disappointed to find it bored me, but I'm very drawn to Winter Tide.