AlphaKIT for 2019

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AlphaKIT for 2019

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1majkia
Editado: Nov 15, 2019, 2:36 pm

Cheli did the picking and here are the letters for each month, with X and Z continuing as yearlong letters:

Jan: Q, A January thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/300228
Feb: K, O February thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/302398
Mar: U, L March thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/303842
Apr: B, M April Thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/304804
May: H, V May thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/305923
Jun: J, D June alphaKIT is up: https://www.librarything.com/topic/307000
Jul: C, P July thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/308046
Aug: N, I August thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/309050
Sep: F, W September thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/310209
Oct: G, T October thread: https://www.librarything.com/topic/311202
Nov: S, Y November thread is up: https://www.librarything.com/topic/312073
Dec: E, R December thread is up: https://www.librarything.com/topic/313016

Yearlong X and Z: https://www.librarything.com/topic/300531

I've created the AlphaKIT WIKI for this KIT: https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/2019_AlphaKIT#2019_AlphaKIT

It includes the quarterly suggestions but those, as are all the others, are optional. Ignore them if you so choose.

2VivienneR
Sep 29, 2018, 1:25 am

I'd enjoy an AlphaKIT. I hope you don't mind running it.

3Helenliz
Sep 29, 2018, 2:34 am

I'd participate again, if it were to run.

4Kristelh
Sep 29, 2018, 12:17 pm

I would participate again. It is helpful in making choices.

5scaifea
Sep 30, 2018, 8:18 am

Me, too - I really like the AlphaKIT!

6Tanya-dogearedcopy
Sep 30, 2018, 12:15 pm

I would love AlphaKIT again! It really helps me in plowing through my TBR stacks!
Even though it has been a couple of years running, I really just this past year figured out how to make it "work" for me in my peculiar decision-making matrix of what to read each month! :-)

7majkia
Oct 1, 2018, 9:38 am

It is certainly easy enough to run. And I'm planning on using it for me, so I'll set it up for the group again for 2019.

8virginiahomeschooler
Oct 1, 2018, 10:03 am

I love the AlphaKIT. Some months it's the only extra challenge I'm able to do. Thank you for running it!

9cyderry
Oct 1, 2018, 2:00 pm

YES! It is the one CAT/KIT that I use every month!

10DeltaQueen50
Oct 1, 2018, 4:29 pm

I am very happy that the AlphaKit is going to set up for 2019, I also try to participate every month with this one.

11cyderry
Editado: Oct 1, 2018, 7:09 pm

Thank you Jean, for taking care of this, Don't know what I'd do without AlphaKit!

Do you want any help with letter selection?

12majkia
Oct 1, 2018, 7:10 pm

>11 cyderry: If you are dying to do it, go for it!

13cyderry
Editado: Oct 1, 2018, 7:42 pm

I think I got some great combos!

Jan: Q, A
Feb: K, O
Mar: U, L
Apr: B, M
May: H, V
Jun: J, D
Jul: C, P
Aug: N, I
Sep: F, W
Oct: G, T
Nov: S, Y
Dec: E, R

I didn't realize until I looked at them closer some are funny - Q & A, KO, BM, JD - LOL

14cyderry
Oct 1, 2018, 7:45 pm

I was wondering if we might try a twist with our letters this year - how about an extra 3rd letter per quarter? We could chose the most frequently used R,S, T, N so that if someone had trouble finding something that month they could use the extra. What do you think?

15LibraryCin
Oct 1, 2018, 8:19 pm

I will plan to participate again!

16LibraryCin
Oct 1, 2018, 8:20 pm

>13 cyderry: I didn't realize until I looked at them closer some are funny - Q & A, KO, BM, JD - LOL

Also, ER

17majkia
Oct 1, 2018, 8:48 pm

Good combos Chèli.

As for the extras for a quarter, I confess I do get frustrated when a common letter has disappeared already and i have a zillion books in the TBR for it.

18majkia
Oct 1, 2018, 8:53 pm

Thoughts from those doing AlphaKIT on Cheli's idea regarding adding a common letter for each quarter?

19Tanya-dogearedcopy
Oct 1, 2018, 11:04 pm

My whole reading plan for 2019 is centered around the number "19" and the letter, "S" (the nineteenth letter of the alphabet) so if I have a gap in my stacks, I'll always return to the home letter "S." The extra letter every quarter, if implemented, will go largely ignored by me but I have no argument against it for the group and will roll with whatever the consensus is.

20DeltaQueen50
Oct 1, 2018, 11:09 pm

One of my categories in 2019 is going to be alphabetical and I will match my reads to whatever letters the AlphaKit is featuring, but I also have no problem with adding a common letter for each quarter.

21Robertgreaves
Oct 2, 2018, 2:58 am

>13 cyderry: not to mention PC and G & T

22Robertgreaves
Oct 2, 2018, 3:00 am

>14 cyderry: No strong feelings about extra letters

23leslie.98
Oct 4, 2018, 4:01 pm

The AlphaKIT is my favorite! I have no strong feelings about having the extra quarterly letter; I will go with whatever the group decides.

24whitewavedarling
Oct 7, 2018, 12:14 pm

Thanks for setting it up! I also have no real feelings about the extra letters.

25LibraryCin
Oct 7, 2018, 4:12 pm

I also have no feelings about the extra letters. I will probably not use them myself, but if others want them...

26Kristelh
Oct 8, 2018, 7:45 am

I don't think I would use extra letters either.

27majkia
Oct 8, 2018, 10:31 am

We can set up the extra letters and folks can use or not as they wish. No rules in the ALPHAKIT IS THE ONLY RULE!

28LadyoftheLodge
Oct 9, 2018, 3:11 pm

AlphaKit is my favorite too. I am not opposed to the extra letter, use it or lose it.

29dudes22
Oct 25, 2018, 12:00 pm

Now that I've finally come up with an idea for a theme, I think I'll probably be doing the alpha kit this year. I had a couple of years where I used the alphabet for my theme so didn't participate but I did like it.

30majkia
Oct 25, 2018, 1:56 pm

>29 dudes22: Welcome back!

31majkia
Editado: Oct 26, 2018, 1:10 pm

I've created the AlphaKIT WIKI for this KIT: https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/2019_AlphaKIT#2019_AlphaKIT

It includes the quarterly suggestions but those, as are all the others, are optional. Ignore them if you so choose.

32Tess_W
Oct 27, 2018, 7:55 am

Question from a newbie: Is the letter the first letter from the author's name or the title of the book?

33Kristelh
Oct 27, 2018, 8:06 am

>32 Tess_W:, I think it is either, first name, last name or somewhere in the title. And you can have your own rules if you want.

34virginiahomeschooler
Oct 27, 2018, 8:41 am

>32 Tess_W: like >33 Kristelh: said, you can set your own rules of what counts for this one. For me, I count first or last name of the author or the first letter in the title (after a, the, etc). I also would count the first letter in the series title and maybe even the main character's name.

For example:

One for the Money by Janet Evanovich, I'd count it for O, J, or E. But I would also count S or P for Stephanie Plum.

This one is loads if fun to me because it's so open to how strict or not you want it to be.

35majkia
Oct 27, 2018, 11:36 am

>32 Tess_W: As everyone has already pointed out, the rules are: No Rules. Use the letters as you like. :)

36Tess_W
Oct 27, 2018, 4:33 pm

TY TY TY, I must have missed the no rules thing; that's my kind of category!

37sushicat
Nov 14, 2018, 8:38 am

I find Q a lot tougher than Z. Would it be possible to swap Q and Z? What do others think about this?

38whitewavedarling
Nov 14, 2018, 11:12 am

>37 sushicat:, I feel the same way. I think this got brought up last year, too, or maybe the year before, and then the discussion just sort of fizzled out...

I, for one, would LOVE to make Q year-round rather than Z.

39majkia
Nov 14, 2018, 12:19 pm

Vota: Make Q the yearlong letters rather than Z

Recuento actual: 6, No 11, Sin decidir 4

40whitewavedarling
Nov 14, 2018, 12:40 pm

41Kristelh
Nov 14, 2018, 1:32 pm

I think Z is pretty easy to fulfill so agree.

42LittleTaiko
Nov 14, 2018, 2:17 pm

I'm the opposite - Q is quite easy for me to fill and I always struggle with Z. X is actually pretty easy for me to since I found a mystery series by an author whose last name starts with an X. I'll be able to fill X for a couple of years easily. :)

43VivienneR
Nov 14, 2018, 3:14 pm

I find Q easy to fill, while it is always a problem to find Z, so I'd prefer to leave things as they are. Like >42 LittleTaiko: I have two mystery series that fills X.

44LibraryCin
Editado: Nov 14, 2018, 4:07 pm

See, and I find Q not all that difficult, since I read so much historical fiction (There are lots of books that start with "Queen"). :-)

I really don't have much for Z at all. But X is the toughest of all, for sure.

45Helenliz
Nov 15, 2018, 1:29 am

I use Alphakit to pick book titles by author name from Orange prize winners/shortlist (or whatever they're calling it now). In which case there have been no winners with Q or U as the start of their names. X has 1, Z has 1 author with 3 books. I realise I'm an extreme case, and therefore am not venturing an opinion either way!

46LadyoftheLodge
Nov 15, 2018, 2:16 pm

I have a lot of trouble with X, so appreciate any suggestions!

47VivienneR
Editado: Nov 18, 2018, 1:00 pm

>46 LadyoftheLodge: I think it was whitewavedarling who recommended mysteries set in China by Qiu Xiaolong. I've only read Don't cry, Tai Lake but enjoyed it so that I've no hesitation picking up another. He captures modern China very well. This year I read the first in a cozy mystery series set on the Isle of Man by Diana Xarissa. It had a few minor issues but I love the island and I'll look for more in the series.

edited to correct spelling of author's name

49whitewavedarling
Nov 18, 2018, 11:22 am

I remember somebody pointing out last year (I'm afraid I don't remember who!!!) that the Xanth novels by Piers Anthony offer a whole series of books that would work for X, for fantasy-lovers, anyway! I LOVED his work when I was growing up, and somehow never got around to those books--I think because my local used bookstore never seemed to have the first two in the series in stock--so I plan to get around to them sooner or later. I ventured into one of his sci-fi books recently, and while it felt a little dated for sci-fi, it definitely reminded me of why I liked him so much.

>47 VivienneR:, it probably was--I recommend them all the time. I kind of love those books, and they've been my 'X' author books for the last few years! I'm not sure I would have tried to parcel them out year by year so carefully if not for wanting to read an 'x' author each year!

50VivienneR
Nov 18, 2018, 1:12 pm

>49 whitewavedarling: I had a look at the Xanth series in the library catalogue and noticed the subject was dragons. That would also fit January's Dragon Appreciation Day for CalendarCAT. :)

51majkia
Nov 18, 2018, 2:57 pm

>50 VivienneR: There's a Dragon Appreciation Day?????

52Tess_W
Editado: Nov 18, 2018, 6:41 pm

There a ton of X-Files books and Goodreads has a list of 30 books that begin with the letter X: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/6946.Titles_That_Begin_With_X

Also another list:
https://www.inkitt.com/d/books-start-with-x

53LadyoftheLodge
Nov 18, 2018, 7:11 pm

Wow, thanks so much for these ideas. I did read the Xanth novels long ago, in a galaxy far, far away.

54LittleTaiko
Nov 19, 2018, 11:42 am

The mystery series I've been reading is by Diana Xarissa. She's written some non-mystery books as well but I haven't read any of those yet.

55clue
Nov 19, 2018, 12:19 pm

There is also a mystery series by A.X. Ahmad. I haven't read this author but there have been a lot of positive comments on LT about the series.

56VivienneR
Nov 19, 2018, 2:35 pm

>51 majkia: Yes! Dragon Appreciation Day is on January 16. I'll include it in the list of suggestions for January's CalendarCAT.

And a reminder - we still have two months that need volunteer hosts. Drop in at the planning thread https://www.librarything.com/topic/298617 if interested.

57Samqua
Nov 21, 2018, 10:49 am

Hoping to try this challenge for the first time. Is everyone going through their TBR stacks now and sorting through them all before the beginning of the year? : )

58Helenliz
Nov 21, 2018, 11:20 am

>57 Samqua: Good luck with it. I'm not scanning the stacks, no. While I like a plan, I tend to read much more as the mood takes me. I tend to plan each month just before it starts, but even then take the view the plans are made to be upset. >:-) Use the challenge as it suits you.

59majkia
Nov 21, 2018, 11:51 am

>57 Samqua: I generally select for the first two or so months, then play things more by ear after that, but always keep the letters in mind as I decide what to read further down the line.

Good luck with it, and hope it works well for you. Remember, the only rule is 'there are no rules!'

60Tanya-dogearedcopy
Nov 21, 2018, 12:04 pm

>57 Samqua: I don't really "read the lists" so much as sort through my options! I hoard books and even with a cataloging system, trying to remember the book I want when I want can be a frustrating thing for me. In the end, I end up reading only about a third of the books I've pulled from my stacks, but that's more than in years past when I forgot what I had!

61majkia
Nov 21, 2018, 2:17 pm

>39 majkia: Looks like we're sticking with the current setup. Remind me to revisit this question in 2020!

62whitewavedarling
Nov 21, 2018, 2:24 pm

>61 majkia:, No reason to revisit it every year, so far as I'm concerned. I'm glad we put it to a vote and got a consensus, though, so thank you for setting it up!

63dudes22
Nov 21, 2018, 3:36 pm

>57 Samqua: - I'm one of those type "A" people who pretty much plan out my year of reading on a spreadsheet before the year starts. I like to try and use as much of my TBR pile as I can. Although sometimes I will make changes depending on what I see others reading or if something is not available at the library.

64Robertgreaves
Nov 21, 2018, 6:51 pm

>57 Samqua: I'm a month by month planner. Once each month's challenges are up I start looking through the TBR shelves to see what fits. Of course I feel free to abandon the plan during the month if something else catches my eye.

65LibraryCin
Nov 21, 2018, 7:42 pm

>57 Samqua: Oh, I don't consider my TBR just my piles here at home, but it's my TBR list here on LT that counts for me. But, I only plan a couple of weeks ahead for each one. I have other groups with monthly challenges where the theme is only decided on/announced about a week before the new month, so I've just gotten into that habit.

66sushicat
Nov 22, 2018, 4:42 am

>62 whitewavedarling: I agree. I would let it rest until someone brings it up again.

67LadyoftheLodge
Nov 24, 2018, 8:53 pm

>57 Samqua: I usually do it month by month, but I am trying something different this year--I am trying to read Newberry Award winners and honor books, so I cross referenced them to the AlphaKIT list and made my list for 2019. Always subject to change, of course!

68majkia
Editado: Dic 29, 2018, 6:16 pm

69fuzzi
Dic 29, 2018, 5:30 pm

>68 majkia: can you edit that url, add an "s" to the http?

Thanks. :)

70majkia
Dic 29, 2018, 6:16 pm

71fuzzi
Dic 29, 2018, 6:38 pm

Thanks!

72majkia
Dic 31, 2018, 8:52 am

73Samqua
Ene 4, 2019, 10:00 am

Makes sense! I agree on using the TBR pile as much as possible. I'm almost done with my first letter "A:". I already have Q next to my chair.

74Samqua
Ene 4, 2019, 10:01 am

Thanks ! I just think it's a fun idea and a way to get through the TBR stack.

75lkernagh
Editado: Ene 4, 2019, 11:18 pm

Whoops.... off to go find the January thread to post the books read so far. ;-)

76majkia
Ene 14, 2019, 9:05 am

77dudes22
Editado: Ene 14, 2019, 3:02 pm

Este mensaje fue borrado por su autor.

78majkia
Feb 15, 2019, 9:23 am

79fuzzi
Feb 15, 2019, 12:45 pm

>78 majkia: thank you!

80majkia
Mar 14, 2019, 2:01 pm

81majkia
Abr 15, 2019, 8:06 am

82majkia
mayo 14, 2019, 12:11 pm

83fuzzi
mayo 15, 2019, 7:09 am

>82 majkia: yippee!

84majkia
Jun 14, 2019, 8:04 am

85majkia
Jul 14, 2019, 8:10 am

86fuzzi
Jul 15, 2019, 7:04 am

>85 majkia: as always, thank you!

87majkia
Ago 14, 2019, 6:03 pm

88majkia
Sep 14, 2019, 7:31 am

89fuzzi
Sep 15, 2019, 1:08 pm

Thank you for your faithfulness!

90majkia
Oct 14, 2019, 6:37 pm

91kac522
Oct 19, 2019, 6:19 pm

The 2020 Planning Thread for CATs next year has started here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/312074#6945930

92fuzzi
Oct 21, 2019, 7:00 am

>90 majkia: thanks and >91 kac522: thanks!

93majkia
Nov 11, 2019, 1:10 pm

FYI: 2020 AlphaKIT is up, wiki is ready, and letters are selected. The 2020 Challenge group has also voted on the regular CATs.

The 2020 AlphaKIT main thread is here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/312224

94JayneCM
Nov 11, 2019, 6:30 pm

>93 majkia: Must now resist spending the rest of my 2019 reading time planning for next year!

95majkia
Nov 14, 2019, 12:26 pm

96Kristelh
Nov 15, 2019, 12:41 pm

I cannot find the thread for X and Z. It there on, and I am just not seeing it?

97majkia
Nov 15, 2019, 12:57 pm

98Kristelh
Nov 15, 2019, 1:18 pm

>97 majkia:, thank you!