S.’s Comments (group member since Feb 10, 2021)

S.’s comments from the Gentle SPECTRUMS group.

Hello Lasses! (learn this from a movie! :)))
I've read your update on "The Raven Boys" and I'll write back using my laptop tonight or tomorrow. haha, Carolyn, good point and thank you, Kerri, Happy reading. :)

Thank you Kerri, I am so happy to hear you can hold. I assumed that you already started reading it.

Can I ask you if we can start reading 10 days later? Until I finish my current books and a few books for May.

Carolyn, I'm really happy that you think I'm good at English. But to be honest, my writing is not as good as my reading skills (try to improve it). And when it comes to speaking, its my downfall!

I'm sorry about my mistake earlier. I typed it wrong, It wasn't Adam who was found by Gansey, it was actually Noah. I'm so glad that Noah will be staying with us as a ghost and finally find peace.

"I also wish he would allow Gansey to help more." Kerri this was what I kept thinking about it, why Adam wouldn't let Gansey help him.

"the death of Czerny was accidental, that they got in over their heads and lost control." I was wondering if Noah voluntarily gave himself up as a sacrifice, similar to how Adam sacrificed himself in a different way. Perhaps Noah's reward was being able to exist in this world. However, we don't have much information about Noah's past or circumstances. I agree that Barrington was an unlikable character, and Maggie beautifully built him with intentions to be disliked.

About Blue's "true love," you make a good point, Kerri. There are many possibilities, and predictions can change over time. It's like when Maura and Persephone decided that it would be better for Blue to be with Raven Boys.

I hope Blue's friendship and the boys together survived as well. It seems like we have an exciting and complex story ahead of us, with Neeve lost in the mirrors or another world, Blue's missing father, and Ronan's secret and unknown power.

I laughed at the DNA quip and Guansey's shoes, too. I loved the humor. :) and Also find funny the phone message! the doodled cat, the piece of paper and, ...ah I forget his name!!! He seems the interesting man who is in contact with Gansey, I wonder if he has more part in the future!

P.S. omg Carolyn, I can't even imagine what it would be like to come face to face with black bears through a window, sounds pretty scary to me! But facing whitetailed deer out near home is such a delightful experience. Though I am use to living in an urban area, my parents just love living in such a pure nature, from bears and turtles to hearing the croaks of toads.

I just finished chapter 36.

Kerri don't read this if you did not reach at least chapter 32.

OMG, I am in disbelief at how quickly the story unfolded! Berry killed his friend, and we had suspicions from the start that he was untrustworthy, and that something was wrong with him but his actions proved to be worse than expected.

I must commend Maggie for her exceptional character development - each character felt solid, likable, and believable. It was as if they were real people brought to life on the page. I love when books' characters seem so alive.

I don't think I can bring myself to care about Neeve. She should have been honest with her sister, but instead came off as selfish. It was entertaining to find out that even Maura couldn't trust her. I found it amusing that she didn't buy the dwarf movie when Calla and Blue wanted to fool her. :)

Of all the characters, this is why I like Ronan most, though I like all of them. An angry boy who apparently doesn't give a shit to anyone or anything but we know now he is deeply affected by what happened to Gansey and cares for his raven. I wonder if this book will reveal the secret Ronan knows about his father's death.

It's disheartening that Adam saw a vision of causing Gansey's death in the woods. I hope this doesn't come true and they can overcome their fate together.

It was so smart to be puzzling to progress the story, Gansey's dream after the bees attacked related to Adam who couldn't reach peace till finding his new friends.

ah, one of the funny moments was when Calla used the phrase "Out of the blue" and Blue didn't like this expression. :) It's comforting to see that Maura still cares about her old lover and the reason she didn't tell Blue everything only was that she herself doesn't know much, right?!

There are so many to discuss, I'll back before finishing the book if saw that I forgot something to write.

Yes, I understand, the "Canadian dollar" is different, but still very good in Iran. :)
Let me provide an example. Say we need to catch a taxi to reach a museum in the city, which is around 30 minutes away by car. The fare should be approximately 4 Canadian dollars, or maybe even less, depending on the situation. Additionally, the museum entry fee is less than 1 CD, but we should make sure not to reveal that you are a foreigner, as some may try to charge you in American dollars.
When my friend from Syria was studying for her Ph.D. at my university in Iran, I would go with her to buy tickets and used to tell her to stay aside and I make sure she didn't get overcharged.

I am reading chapter 26 and hope to finish it tonight. though today is cleaning day, I mostly can only listen to the book (Foul Lady Fortune).

Oh, yes, I had a misunderstanding about the journal. I thought it was for Berry since he was looking for it. I must admit, I'm not fond of Barry either. Thankfully, he doesn't play a prominent role in the story.

Carolyn, I searched Baltimore Oriole birds on Google and was struck by their beauty. I have yet to see a hummingbird in person, likely due to the downside of living in a large, bustling city. However, I do enjoy listening to the crows in the early morning hours before the city and car noises on.
I hope you see Oriole's pretty orange feathers today. ;)

I'm reading this book in English. I have a few books, paper books in English (own-English shelves), you know we can't have the original English books, as they are rare and expensive in Iran. Some famous authors, like Rowling, Leigh Bargo, George Martin, Stephen King, Fredrik Backman, Maggie Stiefvater and others, are known in Iran, so we have paper copies of their books. Actually, I have the second Raven Cycle book too. :)

And now I am currently reading chapter 14!

No, unfortunately, I didn't see "Goonies". I'm not sure what sparked my interest. I only remember I always liked the unusual and secretive places, or hiding things in my grandmother's garden. Maybe my spark was a cartoon I saw as a child that I can't recall.

Carolyn, I think you are very suited to archaeology or geology. I would be very happy to show you many places and historical palaces in Iran during a peaceful time. :) You know, The dollar has a very high value here, so this will be a very inexpensive voyage.

About the characters, I agree with Kerri. :)

I enjoy Persephone. She is very cool. I am not sure about Barry, I think he thinks only about himself and is dangerous. The death of his friend Czerny could also be his fault. I imagine Maura, Clara, and Persephone saw something like that in their tarot carts. They may even saw Blue in his future, "the page of cups", so they insist on Blue to keep away from him. I wonder if Persephone understood the journal was for Barry and now Blue has it?!

Currently, my favorite boy is Ronan, he looks broken but not bad and he takes such good care of the raven.

Ah, we completely agree that the writing style and humor are awesome. Chapter 9 last page was great, "chainsaw in Ronan's head" or "no-pets policy and can't just throw out Noah like that"

haha, they are great!

I'm glad you liked it so much that you even woke Ron up in the middle of the night to tell him about it. :) <3

I finished chapter 6.

I agree it is exciting and mysterious that but having multiple narrators and many characters becomes a bit overwhelming and I still don't know everyone well enough.
Perhaps with time, things will become clearer and more manageable, The Raven Cycle has 4 main books and more than 400 pages for each one.
Overall I enjoy this one so far.

Hmm, it is a good point Carolyn, We know that Blue would be drawn to Gansey, but it turns out that Blue has caught Adam's attention. I'm not a fan of teenagers fighting in love triangles and the drama they bring.

I have a hunch that Blue's father may have been a person of influence or wealth, possibly even one of the Aglionby fathers. This could be why Maura is keeping it secret.

Haha, so we are in the middle of all kinds of mystical wonders, ha! :)) Why not?! it is a very fascinating subject, finding some ancient royal mysteries, like Gansey and his friend.
My cousin and I would draw a map with peculiar symbols on paper. We'd then mark a few points with candlelight, burnt it a little then crinkled it and crumple it up. We were pretending this was an ancient map leading us to hidden treasure.
Back there we didn't have any attention to the rocks but now I think I may use my both experience, haha

"Did I interpret correctly that the four boys live there?"... it appeared that Gansey, Adam, Noah, and Ronan all have rooms there. However, it seems that Adam may not be as financially well-off as the others, right?

I didn't reach the newborn raven and I hope that someone will be able to take care of it. Carolyn, your compassion for helping animals is truly admirable.

Hello there! We were eagerly anticipating your arrival to kick things off :))
Currently, I am reading Chapter 3.
It appears that we are following two points of view in the first four chapters. One perspective revolves around a character named Blue, who I find myself quite fond of, as well as her circle of female companions consisting of aunts, half-aunts, and friends. I have great admiration for families who take care of each other. Blue appears to be content with her non-magical role in the group, satisfied to assist her mother.

The other point of view centers on Gansey and his group of friends, who are known as the Raven Boys. A group of rich boys with fancy cars who like paranormals. You said well my friend, this is not vampire-type fantasy, only modern adventure that includes elements of ghosts and magical themes.

The prediction presented was rather unsettling, and the church they visited had an eerie vibe and creepy. It's hard to face who will die over the next year!
I believe the story has started off strong and has kept me engaged thus far. I'm so happy this is your type, think we will both continue to enjoy it. ;)

Yes, now I have it and am now available for our daily discussions about it. I have never read an Agatha Christie book in English, so I thought it would be great to read in the same language.

Hi,
Thank you for reminding me to mention my review of "Poor Tom Is Cold".
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I'm looking forward to starting the next book "Let Loose the Dogs" with you, Kerri and Leeanne this time, :)
Yes, my favorite so far is Except the Dying, too.

I read "10,000 Leagues Under The Sea" years before, think I can find "The Time Machine" and "Confessions Of A Shopaholic" pdf.
Carolyn, It's always a good idea to explore new authors as you may discover remarkable books. I have very much hope for my new author "The Stone Angel" and "The Gargoyle". :)

Hi ladies :)
I don't have "Lament". only the first two books of The Raven Cycle, The Raven Boys and The Dream Thieves. excited about this one ;)

I just look for other Margaret books and turn out I only have "The Stone Angel".
Of course, we should wait for Leeanne and then read "Let Loose The Dogs" all together :)

I didn't read Agatha Christie in order so I probably pass "The Big Four" and yes, we can read the next novel together. :)
I think its easy to find the list. "The Raven Boys" is good enough. :) Carolyn is "The Woman In Black" for Shirley Jackson or Susan Hill?

Hi everyone!
I just mention the books Carolyn and I have in common to read and I can start reading Thursday whatever books you choose.

CANADIAN (June list)
Maureen Jennings's Let Loose the Dogs
Lucy Maud Montgomery and Margaret Laurence

SERIES
Agatha Christie, Carolyn I didn't read the ones you chose.
Cassandra Clare The Bane Chronicles
Ian Rankin Tooth and Nail
Rick Riordan “The Lightning Thief” I have a few books of this series in Persian.
J.K. Rowling “Harry Potter” I think I have read this about ten times, but will be happy to reread it with you again.
Maggie Stiefvater “The Raven Boys”
Carlos Luiz Zafón The Angel's Game

CLASSICS
Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities
Shirley Jackson “The Woman In Black”
Mark Twain The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
H.G. Wells The Time Machine
Virginia Woolf Orlando

VARIETY
Anthony Doerr All the Light We Cannot See
Erin Morgenstern The Starless Sea

From thousands of miles apart, under the light and shining sun, not expecting the snow soon, Wishing you a very happy new decade for you my dear friend, filled with love and adventure with your loved ones. I hope you enjoy your time birthday girl!

I'm currently reading chapter 32...

Still, I have no idea who could want to kill Oliver, maybe something to do with Jarius! As his mother couldn't use her son's insurance, maybe Jarius somehow fraud their money.

I like that we have more time with Will in this book. His confusion about Enid and religion is a little too much. I like to know more about his sister, even his past. He looked quite sorrowful about his father's actions and his mother's death, which seems not very accidental.

"it was nice to see William trying something new" He looks to enjoy himself.:)
I don't know about drinking habits in many countries but Carolyn, I think it's the East tradition to drink too much tea and coffee, green tea, black tea, different type of herbal tea, Turkish coffee, black and Arabica coffee. We may do not drink juice for a whole week but still, have a boiling kettle all day! Of course, we wouldn't forget to drink water. This was nice to know about too much juice you said. :)

For now "Except The Dying" is my favorite book. I like Will's personal life now but I think the twist and mystery are not bold!
Peg is not a very clear character to me, I agree with you Carolyn, she could go to the police or neighbors for help.
Overall I think it depends on the ending, this could be better than "Under the Dragon's Tail".

I am recently reading chapter 17, I just read a few pages more,

"I still thought Maureen's writing was good in this book, but that there was a lack of flair..." Kerri, I don't know if the pauses, or delay causes me to forget something or if this book has a lot of characters that I feel confused about.

I think there is another reason that characters confuse me, Peg got crazy (act like crazy) in her home and her husband's children locked her, but now, she is in hospital and seems so calm, I have a feeling that still, I don't know any characters, at least the new ones.

I'm pretty sure that Oliver didn't kill himself, as there was no sign of struggling so I think he was killed by someone he knew.

"I am sorry about technical problems..." Thank you, dear Carolyn. I hope will take my laptop back this week! Yes, It is a good thing to keep reading new books, we can always continue our conversation, I think.
Now I am more than 10 books behind my schedule, I hope could compensate with shorter books. :)

Hello girls
I had a busy week and my laptop was broken, I am connecting with this extremely slow PC now.

Currently reading chapter 13
Carolyn, I am a little disappointed to see your three stars! as I read your and Kerri's comments about the cat killing and other things, I completely agree with you. At least, I'm happy to know this one is less disgusting and contains fewer assholes.
And the 22's and 222's you find about are serendipitous connections indeed.

Still, I'm far behind, I have no idea who might be the murderer. Carolyn, I will read your last few comments when reaching a little more.

I'm going to check Anne Perry! :)

Great Kerri, I didn't read very detailed your comments but I think this book may be a good reason that you couldn't get to sleep too. :)
I'm currently reading chapter six, I'm not sure what is going on yet, but and sounds engaging.

Yes, it's excellent! I start it tonight, let's go! :)