Play Book Tag discussion

Omg, I haven't even read my book for April yet. Nor started it.

Please vote for the tag you would most like to read for May at the following link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/T26XQB6

You may click on the answer choices in the survey to see a listing of books that fit each tag.

Remember, you may cast up to a total of 10 participation points for your choice. Everyone gets one vote for free so please vote even if you don't have any participation points!

You can see how many participation points you currently have in the spreadsheet below.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Happy voting! Please cast your votes by 12 pm EST on 4/22.

"Made me cry" could also include tears of laughter! lol

How is it time already?! Voted.

Question...For those who are not in the habit of re-reading books, how would I know a book would make me cry? Have not voted yet, but that one is off the plate for me😏

Joanne wrote: "Question...For those who are not in the habit of re-reading books, how would I know a book would make me cry? Have not voted yet, but that one is off the plate for me😏"

I suppose you need to find/ask a "book twin" whether a book that they've read and you want to read if it made them cry. Or if you know that books with dogs saving people would probably make you cry then go along that theme.

Hope this makes sense!

I am rarely so completely fine with all three categories. But I share the same thought as AJ. Anything but Comedy, (which will probably win), simply because that challenge already has a sort of intense component to it. I am happy with really whatever happens. I did think it was funny that all of the Harry Potters appear in Comedy. I am in the middle of Deathly Hallows, and let me tell you, we are crying every single chapter. Better fit for Made Me Cry. I am tagging those as Witches anyway, as it just feels more appropriate, regardless of higher points. Anyway, there are some great books for Music and Made Me Cry. Think I might just go with music. I cry all the time when I read. I read a lot of heavy and moving anyway. Why not have fun with music. And those that want to get intense with the challenge can read for the Blues and be just as happy to fill out a tougher category.

I am gonna let the fates decide this one. Music would be fun because I have Go Ahead in the Rain: Notes to a Tribe Called Quest which I have been meaning to read...

Comedy is good too.

I don't cry too easy, so that's a tough one, but I could certainly find something from a book twin as others suggested, tears or no tears 😁

I'm in the mood to work through some of my grief so I've been looking for books, movies and music that are tear-jerkers so it's kind of funny to me that Made Me Cry is an option for this coming month!! I looked for tear jerker books but didn't even think to look for Made Me Cry... it's a whole other great list that I'll probably read from regardless as to whether it wins or not.

I read Five Feet Apart a couple of days ago and was sobbing so hard that I woke my husband up and he was asking if I was ok. It felt good to have a good hard cry :)

Voted for the one I read most often and have most on my TBR, that being said, I am fine with any of them.

Charlotte wrote: "I'm in the mood to work through some of my grief so I've been looking for books, movies and music that are tear-jerkers so it's kind of funny to me that Made Me Cry is an option for this coming mon..."

A good cry is sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself-let it flow I say!

Not excited about any but could find plenty to fit any of the three. Both Comedy and Music fit Poll Ballot (AJ you forgot about BLUES and COUNTRY MUSIC tags, even BROADWAY and HOLLYWOOD because of musicals.)

I cry so readily that I know some book I read in any given month will fit that one.

Anita, before I forget again-In the purple shaded area I got 60 points for Poll Tags ?? Did I miss an announcement? What are these for?

I have to say I'm super intrigued by "made me cry" ... but I also don't reread a lot of books. I wonder if I can pick one off that shelf if it wins and see if it does, in fact, make me cry.

Joanne wrote: "Anita, before I forget again-In the purple shaded area I got 60 points for Poll Tags ?? Did I miss an announcement? What are these for?"

Anita, correct me if I am wrong, but I believe those points associated with Poll Tags are because you solicited tags for our consideration at the end of last year when the admins were trying to decide which tags to assign to which states!

Heather Reads Books wrote: "I have to say I'm super intrigued by "made me cry" ... but I also don't reread a lot of books. I wonder if I can pick one off that shelf if it wins and see if it does, in fact, make me cry."

A nice experiment! lol

AJ wrote: "My vote is that comedy will win because it's one of the Poll Ballot categories."

We have a couple music categories in Poll Ballot as well!

Nicole R wrote: "Joanne wrote: "Anita, before I forget again-In the purple shaded area I got 60 points for Poll Tags ?? Did I miss an announcement? What are these for?"

Anita, correct me if I am wrong, but I belie..."

Oh, forgot about that-geez...I really do not want to be associated with some of those tags😂😂

So if made me cry wins, I'd like to see in the reviews what part made you cry, but without spoilers of course, or at least hidden. I will definitely only post a book for the tag if it really made me cry, which might make it difficult for me to find one, as I don't cry easily. I might have to resort to re-reading the three books that always seem to hit me in the feels - The Black Cauldron, Taran Wanderer, and The High King by Lloyd Alexander.

OMG I hit 500 Participation Points! Does this make me a PBT "life-er"? HAHA.

I voted but just with my one giveaway point. They all sound like they'd have a good aspect/reason to read during quarantine.

So ... despite my feeling that the days/weeks drag by while we are "safer at home" I guess times does fly because HOW could it possibly be time to vote again!?!

Cast my ballot. (And didn't have to go outside of my house or choose between voting and getting exposed ... I live in Wisconsin...)

I can admire people's dedication to tag purity, but something like 'made me cry' is going to be so subjective, and some folks just don't cry much. Wouldn't it be enough to read something, well, tagged that way without having to verify that you actually cried?

I mean, Me Before You is a pretty wrenching read, but it went so far to yank on heartstrings that I started to feel manipulated and didn't so much as get misty. I'd hate for someone to slog through it for the month if selected and then not get points because it didn't hit them the same way.

Hebah wrote: "I can admire people's dedication to tag purity, but something like 'made me cry' is going to be so subjective, and some folks just don't cry much. Wouldn't it be enough to read something, well, tag..."

No worries, Hebah, if that tag wins you can definitely read a book tagged that way even if it didn't make you cry. The monthly tag rules are very lax, they're just there to guide our reading. It's only in the games that we are very strict about the tags. I only mentioned my own plan to restrict my own posts and reviews in case that tag won, because I thought it would be fun to see exactly what in the books made people cry.

I didn't put any extra point on my choices. I'm not sure I'm in the mood for a book that makes me cry right now though. I'll be good with whatever comes up, I cry pretty easily so even that it won't be a problem!

I'm depressed enough with everything going on in the world right now so I don't really want made-me-cry and if it wins I might just skip the monthly tag. I'm fine with the other two.

I'm not voting, but I am in the "need a good cry" category, just wanted to put that out there :P

I'm not very dedicated to the tags this year because all my time is consumed by buddy reads and book club reads, so tags are pretty dependent on fate.

Hebah wrote: "I can admire people's dedication to tag purity, but something like 'made me cry' is going to be so subjective, and some folks just don't cry much. Wouldn't it be enough to read something, well, tag..."

Agree Hebah-I say we could talk about why it DID NOT make me cry!

Amy wrote: "I am rarely so completely fine with all three categories. But I share the same thought as AJ. Anything but Comedy, (which will probably win), simply because that challenge already has a sort of int..."

I was the same as you, even if Comedy is a Poll Book Tally one. Let's not forget that there are a number of Poll Book Tally areas that fit Music. Many comedy books have already been read and it's an easy one to fill.

That said, I am quite sure my first choice won't win, but it's possible and I'll be pleasantly surprised.

Personally, I love the "made me cry" tag and can't believe that I have never thought to tag a book that way! One of the important factors in my personal book rating system is whether my emotions were engaged and involved. And if a book makes me cry the rating usually gets bumped up :-)

Just my two cents. We're living in such sad times. I really don't want to read a sad book right now, if I can help it. I voted for music, because of the other 2 tags, it's the more interesting one for me.

Comedy's too easy. I'm hoping for either of the others, though I do have one preference over the other.

Doughgirl5562 wrote: "One of the important factors in my personal book rating system is whether my emotions were engaged and involved. And if a book makes me cry the rating usually gets bumped up :-)..."

I sometimes do that, too! I definitely do if I'm waffling on the rating.

Made me cry doesn't need to be sad. And not everybody is required to be moved by every story. Yes there are some tear jerkers out there, but I have the feeling there will be something on that list for everybody. You don't have to personally cry to earn the point. However I have two comments and one is a repeat. They both concern the Deathly Hallows.

Point One: My almost 15 year old (less than a month) are crying every single day over this one, and that is on the list.

Point Two: How on earth the Deathly Hallows hit both Made Me Cry and Comedy (all the Harry Potters are there....) is beyond me. Especially in the later and this last book. There is nothing comical in the least. However, maybe this leads to Point Three...

Point Three.... At least I can't reasonably fit either Harry Potter or Outlander into Music - and take myself seriously. I would love to see that win. Its different and fun, and there's something for everyone, and a number of tags for Poll Ballot Tally.

I can already tell I will like next month's tag better than this month!

Amy wrote: "Made me cry doesn't need to be sad. And not everybody is required to be moved by every story. Yes there are some tear jerkers out there, but I have the feeling there will be something on that list ..."

LOL - I can fit Outlander into Music - Noooooo problem. It's wouldn't be a main tag, but there is a big scene with a Welsh singer who is singing an old song about women taken by the fairies to a time 200 years in the past. Music also plays a key part in a plotline of Dragonfly in Amber (Outlander #2). And from book #3 on - we have Roger - a beautiful singer - as a key character.

I wouldn’t vote for comedy just because of the poll ballot. The ec points for comedy are already very low, and a big surge would dilute the points even more for all of us. I would much rather pick a fresh category

I want to be moved! I’ve read more than my share of thrillers, space, sci fi and nonfiction this year, and I really want to read books that are moving in some way. Tear jerkers often make me feel good, I suppose because they help put my own problems into perspective. The made- me -cry list has a lot of highly rated books that were on our group’s top ten lists, and it has more on my tbr lists. I spotted quite a few from my state tag lists. There are many books on that list that didn’t make me cry, but that doesn’t matter.

It’s funny that many books are on both the comedy and cry lists. I suppose those books might also have some all-the-feels tags. Daisy jones and the six has both music and made me cry tags.

Doughgirl5562 wrote: "Amy wrote: "Made me cry doesn't need to be sad. And not everybody is required to be moved by every story. Yes there are some tear jerkers out there, but I have the feeling there will be something o..."

Book four definitely fits music. I’m rereading it now. Which book had Claire traveling between towns singing in minstrel shows, Dragonfly?

I don’t remember music in books 3 or 6.

Joanne wrote: "Question...For those who are not in the habit of re-reading books, how would I know a book would make me cry? Have not voted yet, but that one is off the plate for me😏"

It’s more important that you like the book, right? Take a look at the list before you decide. There are some wonderfully meaningful and moving books on the list, including many I think you would like. I don’t care if I cry, but I want to read something moving.

annapi wrote: "So if made me cry wins, I'd like to see in the reviews what part made you cry, but without spoilers of course, or at least hidden. I will definitely only post a book for the tag if it really made m..."

Annapi, you aren’t required to actually cry in order to get credit for the book. The tags just tell you that other people did. Of the books I read on the tag list, I’m not sure they made me cry, but I’m sure they belong on the list. These days though, it doesn’t take much for me to tear up. A tv commercial might do it. Last month’s journalism book on generic medications made me cry out of anger. Though I wouldn’t give it this tag because it would mislead others.

If it wins, you might stick with books on the first few pages of the list, so that you can stay true to the theme. Or read the reviews to see what topics hit your soft spots.

A dog’s purpose made my hubby cry like a baby.

NancyJ wrote: "Joanne wrote: "Question...For those who are not in the habit of re-reading books, how would I know a book would make me cry? Have not voted yet, but that one is off the plate for me😏"

It’s more im..."

Too funny Nancy because it turns out that Made-me-cry is the one I have the most books for-LoL. But sorry, I just do not want to start crying right now-I have had a few minor break downs in the past weeks but I don't want to open the flood gates. Like you, I have some personal issues that I am having to also deal with and opening the gate would be a downward spiral for me right now.

If it wins-think I will go with "Laughed so hard I cried"

Well, I spent my morning finding two or three books for each of the three possible tags! lol. I am ready for anything!!

I remember when I read The Chamber I cried for like 175 pages. Made it very hard to finish the book.

I typically don't care which tag wins, I just like that it gives me an area of focus each month, and if it gets something off my TBR which has been there for a while, I'm stoked.

AJ wrote: "Holly R W wrote: "Just my two cents. We're living in such sad times. I really don't want to read a sad book right now, if I can help it. I voted for music, because of the other 2 tags, it's the mor..."

@ AJ - I LOVED "Irreplaceable You"... I really needed to cry and watched it. It had some really good quotes in it too... like her being so focused on the What Ifs instead of taking the time to enjoy the What Is.

I'm ok if any tag wins because I'll find something. I think regardless of what wins though, I'll be reading a bunch from the Made Me Cry list... for me I feel like it's a sign. I literally had googled books that make you cry the night before yesterday, when the tags came out. And then the tags have the exact tag that I need to find the books that I want.

Now see? I finished dragonfly in amber and haven’t yet started Voyager. Who knew that Roger was such a wonderful singer?

Lyn wrote: "I can already tell I will like next month's tag better than this month!"

AGREE!! Haha.

Voted!

Book four definitely fits music. I’m rereading it now. Which book had Claire traveling between towns singing in minstrel shows, Dragonfly?

I don’t remember music in books 3 or 6.

Well, none of the books actually. That was in the show only. In the books it was MURTAGH who sang in minstrel shows. But the effect was the same. So that's TWO instances of music playing a key role in the first book - Outlander.

Most of the music in books 3 & 4 comes from Roger singing and playing guitar - before his unfortunate incident in book 4. And even after that Roger is always collecting the tunes and words of old folk songs for posterity. In Book 7 he starts teaching a choir. There are several smaller instances of songs in the books, but music runs throughout the series.

Anita wrote: "Please cast your votes by 12 pm EST on 4/22..."

Can you clarify "12 pm" -> 12:00 (noon) or 24:00 (midnight)?

Book Concierge wrote: "Anita wrote: "Please cast your votes by 12 pm EST on 4/22..."

Can you clarify "12 pm" -> 12:00 (noon) or 24:00 (midnight)?"

I've always known 12pm to be noon.

Book Concierge wrote: "Can you clarify "12 pm" -> 12:00 (noon) or 24:00 (midnight)?"

12pm = noon
12am = midnight

So, vote by noon (eastern time) on 4/22.

Voted. Though I’m one up on you Anita - I haven’t even finished my March book yet and I’d completely forgotten what April’s tag was!!

I haven’t physically read anything for weeks, drat it, though I’ve had some light audiobooks on the go. I’m determined to refocus on my dead tree book this weekend (once I’ve done the work that needs to be finished before Monday morning, sigh).