Announcing the May Tag

[Anita]

Well, this month we had a clear winner,

And that winner is:

beautiful

Non-fiction had a lot of people voting for it, but beautiful was the most popular and had the most participation points used in support of it.

Please share your reading plans and recommendations below.

Remember, for the regular monthly reads, the book can be shelved as history on Goodreads, or be a book that is not yet shelved that way but you feel should be.

One way to find books to read for this tag is to please visit:

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

I encourage people to link to additional lists below if they find them. Let us know how you will find a "beautiful" book . . ,Beautiful language? Moving story? Great cover?

[Meli]

You know what this means - trim announcement coming soon! What I look forward to every month >:-)

Great tag. I feel like I have so much that can fit here.
I'll have to ruminate on this a lil.

[Joanne]

I am going with 2 that are on my TBR, the list for Beautiful and also need to be read for another challenge

Bel Canto
Howl's Moving Castle (can't believe it is on a list for "beautiful", but it is-)

[Jgrace]

Joanne wrote: "I am going with 2 that are on my TBR, the list for Beautiful and also need to be read for another challenge

Bel Canto
Howl's Moving Castle (can't believe it is on a list fo..."

I can actually find a rationale for putting Howl's moving castle on that list. Magical beauty, the lack of it, and the way it impacts the lives of girls and women is the major theme of the plot.

[[deleted user]]

Meli wrote: "You know what this means - trim announcement coming soon! What I look forward to every month >:-)"

Same here! I ideally want #8 or #27 for trim, as that'll match the tag! If not, one of my current reads (American Gods) will probably be my May book as it's a chunkster and I'm only managing a little bit at a time!

[Theresa]

I'm not surprised at 'beautiful' winning. I'm not going to plan what to read - but just wing it. I have so many options on my TBR for this -- no need to plan.

Although one interesting tactic might be to try to read as many different books that would qualify in a specific way as 'beautiful' - i.e. one with 'beautiful' in the title, another that is just beautiful writing, another that has a beautiful cover, another that is filled with beautiful illustrations.

Hmmmm.....

[Joanne]

Jgrace wrote: "Joanne wrote: "I am going with 2 that are on my TBR, the list for Beautiful and also need to be read for another challenge

Bel Canto
Howl's Moving Castle (can't believe it ..."

Well good to know-I have not read it, so at least I won't feel like I am "cheating" on the tag!

[Meli]

Jenny wrote: "Meli wrote: "You know what this means - trim announcement coming soon! What I look forward to every month >:-)"

Same here! I ideally want #8 or #27 for trim, as that'll match the tag! If not, one ..."

If I get to read a trim that also fits the tag it could be #13 In the Time of the Butterflies or #31 The Immortalists... at least, I think those fit.

Have to wait and see.

[Hebah]

I'm still mulling over my options beginning with top tagged books, but may I recommend Leigh Bardugo's The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic? It's got eerie fairie tales with some of the most beautiful illumination around the edges of the pages.

Actually, shoot, here's a library list I made that might fit the tag for some folks: https://jocolibrary.bibliocommons.com...

[Joanne]

Theresa wrote: "I'm not surprised at 'beautiful' winning. I'm not going to plan what to read - but just wing it. I have so many options on my TBR for this -- no need to plan.

Although one interesting tactic might..."

Here are some lists to help you in that journey Theresa😉

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...

[Booknblues]

This wasn't the tag I voted for, and while I don't see anything on the first few pages of the list that I am enthused with, I do have a book which I was planning on reading this month, but have run out of time and it fits perfectly:
A Family Farm in Tuscany: Recipes and Stories from Fattoria Poggio Alloro.

For a recommendation I would suggest The Bluebird Effect: Uncommon Bonds with Common Birds . I loved her stories about raising birds and the illustrations are beautiful.

I am happy to see that so many people are pleased with this tag.

[Meli]

AJ wrote: "I swear Outlander is literally on every tag"

HAHAHA! I think you might be right, that is so funny :)

[Meli]

I'm going to look for it from now on :)

[NancyJ]

Joanne wrote: "I am going with 2 that are on my TBR, the list for Beautiful and also need to be read for another challenge

Bel Canto
Howl's Moving Castle (can't believe it is on a list fo..."

I thought the movie of Howl's Moving Castle was beautiful, but I can remember the visual appeal more than the story line right now. I think magic is often seen as beautiful and wondrous, except when it's ugly and horrifying. : )

[Nicole R]

I am totally interpreting "beautiful" to mean a book with a hot man on the front. In this case, the man is attractively hot and perhaps literally hot as he is a firefighter.

You know it is going to be good, quality reading when the book cover doesn't even both to put the guy's face on the cover, just his abs.

[NancyJ]

AJ wrote: "I swear Outlander is literally on every tag"

I agree! It can fit into almost any genre. I think the only one Gabaldon objects to is romance (it's about marriage not romance).

[Nicole R]

AJ wrote: "I swear Outlander is literally on every tag"

I hope it fits our August tag because that is why I plan to read A Breath of Snow and Ashes. lol

[Theresa]

Nicole R wrote: "I am totally interpreting "beautiful" to mean a book with a hot man on the front. In this case, the man is attractively hot and perhaps literally hot as he is a firefighter.

You know it is going t..."


HAHAHAHAHAHA! Oh my, I have to add to the 'list' I proposed above -- 'Beautiful' body on cover (keeping it gender neutral so everyone can put their own choice of person there).

My problem - way too many choices floating around my TBR!

But, Girl, I like your thinking -- hot bod and hot job! >

PSSST - you finding these final weeks of law school a tad stressful?

[Joanne]

Nicole R wrote: "I am totally interpreting "beautiful" to mean a book with a hot man on the front. In this case, the man is attractively hot and perhaps literally hot as he is a firefighter.

You know it is going t..."

🤣🤣I just spit my salad all over my screen

[NancyJ]

I'm curious what people think about American Gods (or other Neal Gaiman books) for this tag. I thought I saw the book on the list, but based on the TV show, I'm not so sure. We watched the first episode last night. It has some really striking visuals, but a lot of horror, fighting, and WTF moments. It reminded me a little of the HBO show TrueBlood which was quite different from the book series.

ADDED - Trim the TBR is #24 this month, which for me is Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. I'm pretty sure it was on the list, but I'd love some subjective opinions regarding it's match for Beautiful.

[Theresa]

Joanne wrote: "Theresa wrote: "I'm not surprised at 'beautiful' winning. I'm not going to plan what to read - but just wing it. I have so many options on my TBR for this -- no need to plan.

Although one interest..."

Wow - and it also reaffirms that 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' - as some of the books featured in the list would never make any 'beautiful' list of mine, for any reason!

I think I'm going to start with just perusing my print shelves at home...and making a stack.

[Meli]

Another one... although it includes his profile and no abs, but 😍
I've actually seen this on some best of lists, so it might be good.

[Joanne]

Nicole R wrote: "I am totally interpreting "beautiful" to mean a book with a hot man on the front. In this case, the man is attractively hot and perhaps literally hot as he is a firefighter.

here is a list for you https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

[NancyJ]

Meli wrote: "Another one... although it includes his profile and no abs, but 😍
I've actually seen this on some best of lists, so it might be good.

"

Hmm, she hires a big buff male nanny with a neck tattoo. That's going to start a lot of rumors on the playground!

[NancyJ]

AJ wrote: "Nicole R wrote: "I am totally interpreting "beautiful" to mean a book with a hot man on the front. In this case, the man is attractively hot and perhaps literally hot as he is a firefighter.

You k..."

OH, I love the movie Enchanted. Was that a book too?

My teenage feminist self would be horrified that I just said that.

[NancyJ]

FYI if you haven't seen yet...

TBR = #24 and culture = Brazil

I recommend The Caregiver as a fit for Beautiful and Brazil.

My 24 is Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. It might be on the Beautiful list - any opinions on that?

[Theresa]

qualifies for NicoleR's list - and I just read it and enjoyed it immensely.

[Theresa]

Personally, I'm going with bad boy motorcyclists - Katie Ashley's ... when it comes time to fit that 'beautiful bod on cover' category....

It's waiting on my Nook.

[Joi]

Lots of directions to go with this one....
The 'beautiful' tag is oh so generic, with the GR list being pretty all over the place.

To go the literal route I'll consider:
A Great and Terrible Beauty
On Beauty

Books with the tag that I think would definitely fit based on other PBT'ers reviews regarding beautiful writing:
The Shadow of the Wind
The Nightingale

Books that are on the list that may/may not fit the conventional beauty tag:
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, which I almost read for March's debut tag
Call Me By Your Name

[Theresa]

Another option for choosing a book - the word "beautiful" used in one of the review quotes endorsing the book.

[Holly R W]

This is a subjective tag and so far, it's stumping me as to what to read. Here are two quotes that come easily to mind: "Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder" and "Beauty is what beauty does!"

[Doughgirl5562]

NancyJ wrote: "AJ wrote: "I swear Outlander is literally on every tag"

I agree! It can fit into almost any genre. I think the only one Gabaldon objects to is romance (it's about marriage not romance)."

Amen, Nancy!

[Nicole R]

Theresa, the last few weeks of law school actually aren’t too bad! I am just so ready to be done that anything seems tolerable 😂 I can’t say that I am one to stress out very easily though....

I am feeling more pressure about wrapping up my current job and saying good-bye to it! I am excited to be moving into a career in law, but I have loved my job the last 6 years and finding it harder to let go of than I thought it would be.

Add to that the fact that I am also moving next month and am leaving Rhode Island and all of my amazing friends and I have been crying at the drop of a hat!

Lots of big changes, all of them good!

[Doughgirl5562]

For me, the Beautiful tag primarily means the beautiful (i.e. really good) writing. So many classics fall into this tag.

But it could also just be a beautiful story which leaves me feeling really happy about pretty much everything ...

... beautiful imagery

... or a beautiful idea or concept that is illustrated in the book.

Yes, it's a very subjective tag.

[Doughgirl5562]

Some recommendations (sorry, I don't know how to do links):

- The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald --- One of the main points of this classic novel is the contrast between an aspirational and illusional "beautiful" life that Gatsby and the wealthy people in the book are living vs the ugliness of the real world.

- Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver -- this young adult novel probably isn't on most reader's TBR lists. However, it caught my eye a few years ago and I really liked it. They also made a pretty good movie from it.

- Stardust by Neil Gaiman -- A fantasy / fairy tale like story. The whole story is beautiful. And it has one of the most beautiful covers I've seen also.

[Book Concierge]

Doughgirl5562 wrote: "Some recommendations (sorry, I don't know how to do links)..."

Just above the comment box where you are typing is a link add book/author

Click on that and you get a pop-up box. Enter the title of the book you want to link to and press "add" for the correct book.

[Meli]

I got a really neat copy of Lolita from my husband for Christmas, it has extensive foreword and intro and notes section, but I am saving it for summer.

[Theresa]

Nicole R wrote: "Theresa, the last few weeks of law school actually aren’t too bad! I am just so ready to be done that anything seems tolerable 😂 I can’t say that I am one to stress out very easily though....

I am..."

it's not like you are moving to Canada or California.. I seem to recall driving from Hartford to RI for lunch a time or two when visiting in the area!

But yes, lots of changes at one time. I had that the summer I turned 30 -- which was the year I graduated law school and took the bar. Difference, I was moving back to NYC where my friends etc. were. and computers were just becoming the norm even though few had their own yet (yes, it was the Dark Ages - 1985). Little did we know how soon email would make keeping in touch so much easier.

Trashy reads will be mandatory!

[Theresa]

This has been on my TBR for some time - everyone I know who has read it raves about it:

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity

[Michelle H]

Definitely not the tag that I voted for, but that is what this group is about...stepping outside of your comfort zone and reading books you might not read otherwise. I found “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller that I plan on reading in May. In the past, I have found some great books by reading something under a tag I would not usually pick. I am hoping this will be the same.

[LibraryCin]

I have one or two books about modelling on my tbr. Any other definition for me is just way too subjective.

I tend not to think of books as "beautiful", anyway. If there is flowery, descriptive language, it's often boring for me. LOL!

[Barbara M]

Just using the link, I have several books on my TBR so I'm good with this.

The Song of Achilles will be on the top since I have that one on my tablet. From Sand and Ash will probably be a close second because its also on my tablet. I'll be traveling in May so that will be a big help.

[Jgrace]

I will finish this one tonight, without a doubt, I recommend it for the 'beautiful' tag.

Leonardo da Vinci

[Nicole R]

Theresa, you are right, I am not moving that far. And I have moved multiple times in my life and have friends that live far away and we manage a great friendship.

I just have some really great friends that live very close and I see multiple times a week. I will definitely miss them! But, we’ll still see each other.

Doesn’t make it any less sad to leave! I can be excited for where I am going and still grieve a little at what I am leaving.

[Nicole R]

Meli, just saw your rec of Rafe! Adding that beautiful book to my TBR!

[LibraryCin]

Ok, so there are two I'll choose between:
- North of Beautiful / Justina Chen Headley
- Hungry: A Young Model's Story... / Chrystal Renn

[NancyJ]

Booknblues wrote: "This wasn't the tag I voted for, and while I don't see anything on the first few pages of the list that I am enthused with, I do have a book which I was planning on reading this month, but have run..."

I love the titles of those books. They're cracking me up.

[NancyJ]

Theresa wrote: "This has been on my TBR for some time - everyone I know who has read it raves about it:

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity"


I've had my eye on this too. Sadness and hope seem to be present in many books that I would describe as beautiful. There needs to be emotional depth and insights. I agree that reading reviews helps a lot. I'm more likely to add a book when I see words like evocative, lyrical, achingly beautiful, gorgeous elegiac, transported, magical, heartbreaking, life-affirming, imagery, etc.

[Nicole R]

I didn’t even think about Behind the Beautiful Forevers! That one has been on my TBR for a long time too. And it would fit the culture challenge. Hmmm....

[Amy]

I am actually reading Behind the Beautiful Forevers and the Way of Beauty. It’s Brazil I’m struggling with. Maybe there’s a suggestion in one of the new threads this morning.