Play Book Tag discussion

My guessing skills at which tag will win the vote have not been very good lately. I thought multicultural was a shoo in. I was wrong. Our tag for February is:

quirky

Please share your reading plans and recommendations below!

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

To find books to read for this tag, please visit:

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

Feel like I definitely need some recommendations here, especially ones that might fit from the PBT Top 100. Looking forward to hearing what you will recommend and read next month!

Cool! That is the one I was hoping for even though I would've been fine with any of them.

I'm in the middle of reading Landline by Rainbow Rowell right now and I'm really liking it. So, for quirky, I think I'll read more books by her, like Attachments since I already started but I haven't been able to finish because other books keep pushing it down the line.

As far as my recommendations to what's already been shelved on the first 5 pages:

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins (YA)
My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, and Jodi Meadows (YA)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by JK Rowling (middle grade/YA)
Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein (poetry)
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colder (middle grade/YA)
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine (middle grade/YA)

if we hadn't just had foreign lit I would have voted Multi-cultural. The tags on Quirky aren't quite what I had in mind, so I've got to go through a bit better before I can make suggestions.

Anita wrote: "My guessing skills at which tag will win the vote have not been very good lately. I thought multicultural was a shoo in. I was wrong. Our tag for February is:

quirky

Please share your reading pla..."

Anita, I think your guess may have been correct, if not for the fact we have Foreign Literature as our current tag. That is part of the reason I voted for "quirky" but I can only speak for myself. :-)

I definitely recommend:

The Night Circus
The Eyre Affair
Neverwhere
Ready Player One
The Golem and the Jinni
Room
The Martian

Also just looking at the tag list, it looks like basically any and every book could conceivably fall on it lol. I still need to find one that is on my to-read list that I wanna try and read this month that also fits this tag though! I'm about to start The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and I think that would probably count. It's definitely a very unique and different style of writing for sure!

I agree with the others, multi-cultural might have been it but I could see quirky coming. It actually has quite a few I've read and want to read so I have my list ready!

A Man Called Ove - I've really been wanting to get to this one.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Fortunately, the Milk
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Not likely to do all - for sure - and I might change my mind depending on what is available at the library in audio or e-book.

I didn't figure multicultural stood a chance following this moth's tag. I sure would have loved that though.

Since A Man Called Ove is shelved quirky and it fits the High-Note challenge that will be my recommendation.

I'm going to have a difficult time finding something.

I'm definitely going to read Station Eleven since it fits High Notes.

I own The Elegance of the Hedgehog but based on the review I just don't know if this is for me or not.

Other possibilities from my TBR:

Kitchens of the Great Midwest
A Clockwork Orange
Her Fearful Symmetry
After the Quake
The Case of the Missing Books because of the Irish connection
Multiple Choice

As for what I'd recommend:
My top recommendation has to be The Graveyard Book since I recommend it to everyone!

The Rosie Project
Eleanor & Park
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry loved it!
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

There are tons I could probably recommend but I'll leave those to others - there are always so many good ideas!

My number one recommendation would be
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

Others on the list that I really liked:
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
Ella Minnow Pea: A Progressively Lipogrammatic Epistolary Fable
The Rosie Project
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

NOTE: Harold Fry and Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie both qualify for the "series" tag for Climbing the Stairs

As for my own reading:
Unless I finish it before month end (and I've yet to get it from the library, though I'm up to # 1 on the hold list) ... A Man Called Ove
Also under consideration:
Catch-22
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry
Bad Monkey (I love Hiaasen!)

I have a few that will work and hopefully something that I plan to read next month will work. I found a lot to recommend but want to think a bit first. LibraryThing doesn't even have a tag for quirky.

Not sure where to put this, so I'm putting it here ....

I wish you wouldn't delete the thread when the month is still going on. I wanted to go back to the "announcing the January tag" and get some ideas ... especially with the "bonus admin tags" .... but I can't find it anywhere.

I can totally understand if you want to put it in the archives... but please don't delete.

Lisa Ann ✿ wrote: "Anita wrote: "My guessing skills at which tag will win the vote have not been very good lately. I thought multicultural was a shoo in. I was wrong. Our tag for February is:

quirky

Please share yo..."

I suspect you are right this time around, Lisa Ann, but still, my formerly excellent track record has been off for the past few months, lol. I used to be really good at predicting!

Book Concierge wrote: "Not sure where to put this, so I'm putting it here ....

I wish you wouldn't delete the thread when the month is still going on. I wanted to go back to the "announcing the January tag" and get some..."

The Announcing the January tag thread is neither archived nor deleted, BC.

When we set up the folder for the month i.e. January 2017: Foreign Literature folder, we immediately move the "Announcing" thread into the folder for the month. So you can access it all month long. Or even after the month is over.

That's where you can find it.

The easiest way to find it within the folder is to sort by number of posts. The Announcing thread always has the highest number of posts so it can be sorted to the top of the list.

I'm excited! :-)

Now this is a difficult tag - mostly because looking through the titles most often tagged as quirky that I know, only half would qualify in my opinion. As I try to read books that really fit the tag, this makes if difficult to pick one out that will fit this more narrow requirement.

Anyway, I think I found one on my shelves. I mean to read a Walter Moers book.

As for a recommendation, I would go with Terry Pratchett.

Anita wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "Not sure where to put this, so I'm putting it here ....

I wish you wouldn't delete the thread when the month is still going on. I wanted to go back to the "announcing the January tag" and get some..."

The Announcing the January tag thread is neither archived nor deleted, BC...."

We delete nothing. In fact, we are fanatical about keeping everything for posterity....you know, just in case we want to mine past threads for information.

I also h e to think about this one. I wanted it to win but the books shelved don't fit my definition of quirky either. I'm going to add the tag to books I've read so for the future books I think are quirky will make the shelf

Anita wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "Not sure where to put this, so I'm putting it here ....

I wish you wouldn't delete the thread when the month is still going on. I wanted to go back to the "announcing the Ja..."

Thank you! I just couldn't find it ....

For those of you that don't know me well, "Quirky" is my middle name. My recommendations are as follows:

The Memory of Running
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
The White Widow
A Visit from the Goon Squad
The Leftovers
Tigerman
Last Night at the Lobster
Snow in August

I am going to read any of the following (in between my personal quest to finish Alexander Hamilton):

Ready Player One
Station Eleven
The Gone-Away World

I think for my recommendations, I need to go with authors vs. books. Also, I'm not going by the shelves because I don't agree them.

Tom Robbins - particularly Still Life with Woodpecker

I'm thinking perhaps Joshilyn Jackson could be considered quirky.

Matt Ruff - particularly Fool on the Hill (not his newest one though!)

Lisa Lutz - any Spellman book, but also Heads You Lose

The Yiddish Policemen's Union - I feel like this could qualify.

Jeanette Winterson - maybe Sexing the Cherry

Douglas Adams

Jasper Fforde - This would be a good read for me, I'm behind on Thursday Next books.

J.D. Salinger

Bret Easton Ellis (I have "to read" options here)

Jonathan Carroll

Chuck Palahniuk

Geek Love

----

I could go on and on because I love Quirky!

My options:

Glamorama
Revenge of the Spellmans
One of Our Thursdays Is Missing

Princess Bride? Quirky or no? It is on the shelf and is PBT Top 100, but want to get a confirming opinion from someone who has read it.

Anita wrote: "Princess Bride? Quirky or no? It is on the shelf and is PBT Top 100, but want to get a confirming opinion from someone who has read it."

Yes, it has to be, since the movie definitely was. Plus, it's on my tbr and it's what I'm going to read if there is nothing under quirky for me.

Recommended based on the first 4 pages and both definitely fit under quirky (both got 5 stars from me)

The audiobook of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

My favourite Fredrik Backman book (different from his others, so be warned) - My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry - I would call this one quirky, but not A Man Called Ove.

I would like to know the opinion of the group regarding The Catcher in the Rye. It does not show up in the first few pages of quirky. Just wondering if those that have read it would say it is.

J.W. wrote: "I would like to know the opinion of the group regarding The Catcher in the Rye. It does not show up in the first few pages of quirky. Just wondering if those that have read it would say it is."

I don't remember much about it except that it wasn't my favourite book. I don't think I would have labelled it quirky, though; I would probably remember it better had it been that way for me. Now I'm wondering what other people think! I read so much scifi back then and obscure sorts of things that I could have missed that part of it.

Friends, I am delighted that quirky is the winner. Although I would have been happy with any of them. I noticed I have read quite a few, so I should go back and figure out which ones of my favorites to recommend. But I had already preselected my top three, so I know what's on tap for February. Thinking these: When God was a Rabbit, My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry, and On Turpentine Lane. What's that? You won't find it on a quirky list, but %100 it's got to be. It's the newest novel by Elinor Lipman, One of my all-time very favorite authors. And she is the Queen of Quirky! I have read every single one of her other 11 or 12 books, and the characters are quirky, the plot is quirky, every single one of them is a master class in quirky. She is the author I would look at hands down. This novel just came out like last week, I'm not even sure it's available yet. But of course I entered the giveaway! In any case, I put the other two on my library list, which is so long at this point that the books line the hallway. Each awaiting a turn at glory. So a bunch of you have mentioned ready player one. This counts as quirky? Because it's a high notes for me, I think for 2015, which was my last missing year.

J.W. wrote: "I would like to know the opinion of the group regarding The Catcher in the Rye. It does not show up in the first few pages of quirky. Just wondering if those that have read it would say it is."

I don't think I'd label it as quirky. I'd more label it as "no point" or "overrated," lol. You can tell that I didn't like it much. I'd see what someone who enjoyed it says.

I would recommend either A Dirty Job or The Stupidest Angel: A Heartwarming Tale of Christmas Terror, both by Christopher Moore. Both are hilarious and definitely quirky.

As far as what I'll read, I may pick up Bloodsucking Fiends or something else by Moore. I may also give All the Bright Places a try since it's on my Amazon list.

I am going to recommend The Strange Library by Murakami, it is a graphic novel and a quick read and features a library if anyone is looking for that kind of book in February.

Another recommendation for something a little off the beaten path that I am reading now Suds in Your Eye, definately quirky, I will finish it in January and I think I will tag it Quirky. 3 older women, living in San Diego during WWII and lots of beer.

I will read either A Man Called Ove or Ready Player One in February. I have lots of options on my shelf but also lots of things I have to read next month.

Anita wrote: " Our tag for February is:

quirky..."

YAY!!! Once I realized the books that were listed under multicultural, that would have made it tricky for me to pick something if I wanted it to really fit my definition. Ultimately, I was then rooting for quirky!!

Regina wrote: "Since A Man Called Ove is shelved quirky and it fits the High-Note chal..."

A Man Called Ove is tempting, but I'm trying to remember if I'll be reading it later in the year for my f2f book club. I'll have to check.

Barbara wrote: "
Eleanor & Park
"

This is also a possibility for me.

Kristel wrote: LibraryThing doesn't even have a tag for quirky. ."

Sure it does! I found a bunch...
http://www.librarything.com/tag/quirky

Hmmm...this one is tricky for me. Not 100% sure how I would personally define a quirky read.....

Nicole wrote: "Geek Love..."

I thought this was on my tbr, but I'm not seeing it there. Hmmmm....

~*Kim*~ wrote: "I would recommend either A Dirty Job
..."

A Dirty Job is my favourite by Moore!

Ok, a few options for me:
- A Man Called Ove / Fredrik Backman (if my f2f book club isn't reading it later, need to check)
- Eleanor and Park / Rainbow Rowell
- Horseradish / Lemony Snicket (though no one has recommended this, I'm just going on the assumption that "quirky" truly fits this one.)
- One of Our Thursdays is Missing / Jasper Fforde

?? - Watermelon / Marian Keyes (has anyone read this? Does it really fit? I think I'll be reading it for another monthly challenge in Feb, so that would be great if it fit! Thanks!)

If anyone wants a Canadian book (for Climbing the Stairs?), although I didn't rate it overly high (I think I gave it a 3.5 (good)), I do remember this one being quirky:
Come, Thou Tortoise by Jessica Grant

Read for my f2f book club a few years back and I remember most people enjoying it!

J.W. wrote: "I would like to know the opinion of the group regarding The Catcher in the Rye. It does not show up in the first few pages of quirky. Just wondering if those that have read it would say it is."

I actually just read The Catcher in the Rye this month. The storytelling isn't what I would characterize as quirky. The main character of the book though is definitely quirky so I think it could fit the tag.

Anita wrote: "Princess Bride? Quirky or no? It is on the shelf and is PBT Top 100, but want to get a confirming opinion from someone who has read it."

I read the Princess Bride quite awhile ago. I'd say it is quirky. There's a story within a story with the first story interrupting the telling of the second story off and on. I also found it a really fun book. I know you don't much like movies but the movie is a lot of fun.

LibraryCin wrote: "Kristel wrote: LibraryThing doesn't even have a tag for quirky. ."

Sure it does! I found a bunch...
http://www.librarything.com/tag/quirky"
How did you find that, I looked, I looked twice. I will have to go back and see what I did wrong.

so I went back, I went to the tag cloud and did not find it but then I did a search and on the left found tag. I haven't been doing that before.

Kristel wrote: "How did your find that, I looked, I l..."

Actually, I immediately went for a tagmash with it and my initials. It brought up some titles. At the top of the tagmash page, I could click on each tag individually.

However, if you just use the main search box on the top right, type in "quirky". On the left menu after your search, you should then be able to specify "tags". I believe that's how it should work without doing the tagmash.

Ok, just tested. After you specify "tags", you'll see "quirky" by itself at the top. Below, it lists all the other tags with "quirky" in it somewhere ("quirky history", "quirky characters", "quirky fantasy", etc.)

LibraryCin wrote: "Kristel wrote: "How did your find that, I looked, I l..."

Actually, I immediately went for a tagmash with it and my initials. It brought up some titles. At the top of the tagmash page, I could cli..."
Thanks, that just gave me a whole bunch more that will work for me for February.

Kristel: Good to hear!

I highly recommend anything by Douglas Adams. This month I am going to attempt two books, which will be The Night Circus andExtremely Loud and Incredibly Close.

That was helpful, Cindy. Thank you. I'm very frustrated with this tag because the definition seems wide open. For some quirky =humor or satire, or magical realism, or science fiction or fantasy or ... I don't know what.

But I think I do like quirky, whatever it is. I've read 19 of the books on GR's first page, of those I think the quirkiest were:

Ella Minnow Pea: A Progressively Lipogrammatic Epistolary Fable

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore

These are the possibly quirky books that are on my TBR, but I'm not sure if they are quirky enough

Behind the Scenes at the Museum
Everything Is Illuminated
Señor Vivo and the Coca Lord

My top recommendation is Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. It's on the list, and I feel it definitely qualifies as quirky.

I've also read these two books from the list that I'd call uncomfortably quirky:
The Sisters Brothers
Willful Creatures

And I'll choose from these:
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
The Sirens of Titan
The Color of Magic

I'm leaning toward starting off with The Sirens of Titan. It will also work for my Time Travel stair in the PBT Stairs Challenge, and it comes highly recommended by my husband, who has read all of Kurt Vonnegut's novels.

To add to kimbers post, the sisters brothers would also fit for canadian (the author is canadian).

The Peter Grant series by Ben Aaronovitch, starting with Rivers of London, is fabulous if you like totally off-the-wall British humour. I can't read them in the same room as my husband - he always asks what I'm cackling about.

Yes to those who've suggested Jasper Fforde too: as well as the Thursday Next series, there's The Big Over Easy which I haven't read yet but this is a great opportunity to do so; The Fourth Bear which I laughed my way through; Shades of Grey which I personally think is his best (not to be confused with the other Shades of Grey!), and his series for children and the young at heart: The Last Dragonslayer.

I'm glad that A Man Called Ove and The Night Circus make the list as this helps with my challenges!

Some other great suggestions here. I'm so glad this is the tag for the month!

@LibraryCin, I have read Watermelon a while ago. It is part of a series where each sister has her own book. The family is a bit quirky, but Keyes tends to tackle some heavy issues packaged up as "chick lit".

I also feel like the Jan tag influenced the voting.
I'm going to try and find my copy of The Night Circus and possibly Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.

I've read a lot of the books on the list. A couple that I would recommend are (that I haven't seen mentioned):
Captain Corelli's Mandolin
Where'd You Go, Bernadette

I'm happy with this tag, it was the one I voted.

My recommendations:

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Anything by Jasper Fforde (I totally agree with Kate on this one)
Ella Minnow Pea: A Progressively Lipogrammatic Epistolary Fable (the quirkiest of the quirky!)
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
A Dirty Job (my favorite by Christopher Moore - I don't love this author, but this book is hilarious!)

And this is just looking at the first page!