One of the events I look forward to every year is the Reader Poll at All About Romance. Unlike other “awards’ such at the RITA’s where many of us haven’t read or even heard of many a book nominated, the Reader Poll at AAR is by reader for readers. And while it’s a lot less than 50% of the books that win are ones I voted for, at least I’ve either read or heard of the vast majority of them.
Also unlike some other contests and awards, there is no ‘entering’ to be considered and no fees involved. It’s just readers choosing the books they’ve loved the past year.
It was also the AAR Annual Poll that kicked me into amping up my spread sheet. While I had had one for quite a few years before I started entering, I didn’t have columns like grade, year read and year published in the spread sheet. Now with no effort at all I can filter down to books published in 2009. Then for example, romantic suspense published in 2009, then filter down further to romantic suspense books published in 2009 that I read and then further to romantic suspense books published in 2009 that I read that I gave 4 or 4.5 or 5 out of grades too. And now that I’ve figured out how to add comments, if I read a book way back last February and can’t remember it all these months and book later, the comment I left gives me a very quick reminder..
The polling opened on Monday Jan 18 and runs until Jan 31 so unlike in years past, is open for a much shorter time this year. Thank goodness it's not like the Oscars where we have to wait and wait and wait to see the winners. There are two weeks for voting. I’ve always enjoyed participating in this poll even if the books I voted for don’t win. Though of course there is always that secret thrill if they do – indicating validation that the book I chose and voted for is a good one since other readers picked it too.
I may be wrong, but to me this is a much better indicator of the years good reads since it’s reader based. And another plus is it's a great way to find books you might not have otherwise have noticed - 'cause one can never have enough books - that's my motto - along with why say in ten words what you can say in 100.
I don’t know how many who read this blog enter the poll – but it’s something fun and interesting to do – and I’m sure real great for the winning authors!
Here’s the link if anyone else finds this as fun as I do!! Now - I think I'm off to play with my spreadsheet and vote myself - before I forget.
