L Y N N’s Comments (group member since Nov 10, 2018)

L Y N N’s comments from the Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge group.

Tanvi wrote: "@poshpenny I think you can just pick a book blurbed by your favourite author, and then read the audiobook of it. That’s how I interpret it, anyway."

I would definitely agree!

Jen wrote: "Martha Wells, the author of Murderbot (among many others), has a blurb on the cover of A Psalm for the Wild-Built."
I'm pretty sure that's the one I saw!!! Thank you!

Charlsa wrote: "Ugh, this is kind of difficult in that you can spend hours trying to find a book that fits. However, I recalled that I recently purchased Patti Callahan's Once Upon a Wardrobe, and ..."

Oohhh...I may have to check that out! Thanks!

Ashley Marie wrote: "I'm glad to hear you loved American Elsewhere, Nadine! RJB's Divine Cities trilogy is one of my favorite series of all time, but American Elsewhere just did not do it for me."
It's always interesting to me how the same writer doesn't necessarily produce books that I enjoy at the same level!

"Currently I'm neck-deep in weeding through my shelves and trying to clear out a bunch of old adds which have since moldered and collected dust bunnies (i.e. things I don't think I'll ever pick up EVER); if I do get to them, I can always add them back :) My TBR has really gotten out of control though so I'm trying to rein it in before the new year arrives. This counts as cleaning, right?"
Sure it does! And I'm going to choose to live vicariously through you and just imagine that I've done the same! LOL

"Oooooh I really loved Get a Life, Chloe Brown! I'd be interested in helping with the February discussion but I've never been a discussion leader before; how does it work? Should I come up with discussion questions?"
I think you would enjoy doing it, Ashley Marie! I would suggest you scroll back through some of the other monthly group read discussion threads to get some ideas. Everyone has a different approach which helps make it more interesting, IMO! *Imagine me down on one knee with hands in a begging posture... Oh, well, I can't get down on my knees, so I'm just doing a lunge! LOL*

"I finished Bethany C Morrow's So Many Beginnings: A Little Women Remix earlier this week and loved it! Such a charming Little Women retelling. There are more Remixed Classics retellings scheduled for release in the new year and I'm so excited for all of them!"
Glad to have your recommendation for these!

"I should also be finishing The Mountains Sing today. It's been a heavy read, and not my usual end-of-year fare, but I picked it for another group's challenge. No regrets!"
This looks like one I would enjoy!

"QOTW: What are your favorite books that you read this year? (Any book you read, not just for this challenge)
I adored Fonda Lee's Green Bone Saga (Jade City) and was so glad I read it this year, as the final book was probably my most-anticipated read of 2021 and it did not disappoint!
Craig Schaefer's Revanche Cycle (Winter's Reach), can't wait to delve deeper into his work
Nic Stone's Dear Martin duology
Malinda Lo's Last Night at the Telegraph Club
Maggie O'Farrell's Hamnet
Yaa Gyasi's Homegoing
Andrea Stewart's The Bone Shard Daughter"
For some reason, when the word "bone" is in a title it kinda gives me the creeps! LOL I also really enjoyed Dear Martin, Homegoing, and especially Last Night at the Telegraph Club! My IRL book club is reading Hamnet in January and I'm hesitant to think I would really enjoy it... I have not yet committed to attending that meeting.

Nadine in NY wrote: "Good morning!! I'm on vacation so I slept late today so I'm getting a late start here. Here we are, in the last week of the year! We made it to the end of another year. Congratulations to all of us!! :-) Happy New Year!"
Glad you slept in. I can't. I have 4 cats who make sure I'm awake to feed them no later than 8AM at the very latest!

"I've never been a big partier on New Year's Eve - it's always felt like too much pressure to be excited and cool and have big plans & resolutions and go to the perfect party and be super happy. I used to like to go to the movies: go into the theater in the old year, come out in the new year. No pressure to party! But now that I've discovered Reading Challenges, I am excited for the New Year so I can start my new Challenge! I am ready!!!"
Ha! Ha! I used to party when I was much younger--college and a couple of times after I was married. In fact, each of the first two years of my first marriage we hosted a huge New Year's Eve party which I literally spent at least one week preparing for: shopping for specialty foods, cooking, cleaning, decorating... But that ended when we moved the first time and I quickly discovered that having infants/young children meant I had to be up and going the next morning with NO hangover. So that put perspective on it for me! LOL

"I see a lot of us are finishing the 2021 Challenge in the last week of the year. Congrats to all of us!!"
Working to do so today! Bel Canto is finally getting a bit better for me after the first 100 pages... I hope it isn't a total slog for me to get through and finish!

"My mouse update: I've been setting those cheap snap traps and I've been catching A LOT in the last week, over a dozen. I had to go buy more traps. The snap traps don't always kill instantly, which I did not know, and it is absolutely awful, so I ordered four of those electric shock traps, guaranteed to kill instantly. They're a little pricey, but I've got a big problem and they are the solution. I think mice are cute and I wish I didn't have to kill them, but they are in my walls and my garage and my basement and when they showed up in my kitchen, that was the last straw."
Oh, I am so sorry that happened to you, Nadine! I have spent my lifetime fighting mice in the house it seems, since I've always lived in the country! Once you see one you can almost rest assured you will catch at least 5-10 if not more!

"Admin stuff:

Our December group read of Malibu Rising is finishing up - join the conversation here:
December group read discussion"
Great discussion, Teri! I'm thrilled my copy finally arrived and I was able to read it in time!

"Our January group read of People We Meet on Vacation will be starting this weekend!
I don't think we have a volunteer yet to lead this discussion, so we might end up with pure anarchy!! "
I'm so glad this one won! I had a copy ordered and just received an email that it was no longer available to be shipped, so will be picking up a copy this weekend at my favorite local used bookstore! And thank you so much to Erica who has volunteered to help guide us!

"Our February group read will be: Get a Life, Chloe Brown!! Let us know if you would like to lead this discussion!"
This is one I had scheduled to read in January anyway! YAY!!

"And the final poll for our March group read is here:
Vote for the March 2022 Group Read!"
Ooh. Ooh. Oohhh,,.I hope the one I voted for wins! LOL I already own it and have really wanted to read it!

"This week I finished five books, one was the last book on my personal challenge, and one was my last Challenge read, so I am finally 50/50 for the 2021 Challenge! "
YAY!! So proud of you for persevering through that longest book! I knew you could do it! Yay for your finish!

"A History of the World in 100 Objects by Neil MacGregor - my longest book on my TBR (and wow did it ever feel long!), I am so happy to be finished!! I thought I would learn a lot of fascinating little things, but I didn't really come away with much at all. My mother was visiting, and she usually loves this sort of book, but even she said it was too dry and she pushed it aside."
Huh. Well, at least you have confirmation that it probably wasn't a compelling read for others as well. And it sounds so very interesting... But you never know.

"Guardian of the Horizon by Elizabeth Peters - I love listening to Barbara Rosenblat read Amelia Peabody mysteries! Five stars just for the fun. (The mystery wasn't really all that, but I enjoyed this anyway.)"
That's so cool to have something that you know you will enjoy!

"A Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder by Shamini Flint - I really enjoyed this, and I absolutely did not guess who the murderer was. This was the last book on my list of 21 books I must read in 2021, so I completed my personal challenge. I look forward to reading more in this series."
That is on my TBR listing. I think the author looks to be just as interesting as her books! LOL

"And I read two graphic novels on Christmas Day (my Christmas Day tradition for the last few years):
Chew, Vol. 5: Major League & Chew, Vol. 6: Space Cakes - volume 5 was fantastic, five stars! Volume 6 was disappointing, not enough Tony Chu. I decided I'm going to try to finish this series (six more volumes) in the next month or two. I've got volume 7 downloaded now!"
What a cool tradition!

"Question of the Week
What are your favorite books that you read this year? (Any book you read, not just for this challenge)

This year I set up "brackets" and I chose a favorite book for each month, each quarter, each half year, and finally an overall favorite."
I had to chuckle! This sounds like a mathematical formula! Then I was going to make some smart-ass remark about being "left-brained" and Googled just to make sure I had that right and ended up at this article which I found extremely interesting: https://deansforimpact.org/exploring-...
This left and right brain idea is evidently purely mythological... I admit I'm kinda glad about that. It leaves more potential for everyone to become a more broad-minded thinker, doesn't it? But I am off topic...

"My favorite read each quarter:
Catherine House
The Good Son
American Elsewhere
Harlem Shuffle

with The Good Son just nosing out American Elsewhere as my favorite read of this year."
The Good Son and American Elsewhere are both books that look to be way too "horror-ish" for my liking! And here might be the proof that left-brained and right-brained are NOT so mythical. I have a listing of 57 and you narrow it down to 4 and then just 1 for the year! LOL We disprove the claim of mythology!! LOL 😁 Maybe that's one reason we seem to make a good team!

17. After all the build-up, the cause of the fire was a little anti-climactic IMO. Why do you think fire was such an important part of this novel?
Without the historical background of fires occurring so often, etc., and the prior knowledge there was a fire that destroyed the mansion, much of the tension/suspense in the novel would have disappeared. I thought it was a brilliant ploy to keep the reader engaged and wondering..."Who starts the fire? Why do they start it? Or did it happen naturally with someone's carelessness?"

18. What, if anything, did you take away from this novel that was meaningful to you? Did you enjoy the book? Why or why not?
Don't take family for granted! Communicate with them as much as possible and let them know you love them and have them in your heart regardless of ability to visit, etc. Be loyal and faithful or don't even try to have a family. It is possible to lose them. As I used to tell me ex-husband every once in a while, "If you just treated me as well as you do your friends, we would get along a lot better..."

19. Anything else you would like to discuss?
I'm sure this story will stick with me for a long time just as has The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and to some degree Daisy Jones & The Six.

Oh, and the party with all the new characters. For me, I realized last night that I felt overwhelmed by all those people as the reader and that reflected what the Rivas felt, especially Nina. Tired and overwhelmed...

I admit I kinda liked the fact that Reid showed the police to be idiots, more worried about someone telling them to do their job than actually doing their job and protecting the house and personal property.

Erica wrote: "So I gave this a 5 star rating because I thought the Rivas were all good characters, not necessarily likeable characters. TJR so far has a smooth writing style that pulls me in. She starts with a question/secret and manages to keep me hooked for the answer that I don't figure out ahead of time. Her books have made me laugh and cry out loud which most books don't.
How about you guys?."
She is one of my favorite authors. I have now read three of her books and plan to read her backlist. I am just like you. She draws me in and keeps me there. I seem to zip right through her books!

Teri wrote: "10. Nina's relationship with her husband felt to me that she was never very connected, that she just went along because it seemed the thing to do. Do you agree? If so, why do you think it was that way?
I felt like she was swept off her feet by the charm and money. She hadn't been able to spend enough time dating to really know what she wanted and what would be good for her. Then again, I've decided marriage is a crapshoot anyway, because you just really never know what you are going to get after the honeymoon is over.."
And it may not be immediate, but over the years people typically change and as I've always told my sons, the secret lies in whether the two of you are capable of adjusting to those changes to retain a good relationship. Unfortunately, that didn't happen for me the first time around, nor did it happen for my middle son who is now divorced. 🙁

Thank you so much for leading, Teri! Great discussion. Some things I hadn't even considered and were very thought-provoking!

Oh, the irony that Mick was the (view spoiler)[one who actually started the fire! I laughed and laughed at that! And the fact that he was planning to hitchhike and chuckling about how that would make somebody's day to pick him up, etc. (hide spoiler)] After all the rowdiness at the party I thought for sure someone was going to just purposefully start a fire inside the house...

11. What did you think of Mick from the beginning? Did you think he and June were a good match?
I didn't really. I felt he had a fantasy of having this perfect wife and family, but then also a career where he would be on the road and dealing with women/groupies, etc. I don't believe he was the least bit realistic, and yet, I felt he was trying to do what his own parents had not done, to provide love, safety, and security. At least I felt those were his thoughts in the very beginning.

12. Cat made a great point above. Nina was the one who remembered Mick's comings and goings better than the rest. How did this impact her? How did it impact the others?
Exactly. And Mick was smart enough to realize that if he couldn't con her he wouldn't be able to slip back into his "father" role at all. He knew she was the key to his re-entry into the family.

13. Why do you think Mick lost contact with his kids for so many years?
Some humans just aren't capable of being decent people. He couldn't make himself be faithful and settle down. He wanted to party it up all the time and be the cool big-time famous musician with all the groupies! I mean, three paternity suits! And that doesn't even count Hud's mom, or Casey's mom, if Casey was his biological child... Those three were just the ones with enough money and guts to sue him!

"14. Why do you think Kit kept inviting Mick to the parties? Why do you think he accepted this one?"
I believe he said so himself

15. What did you think about introducing Casey (another of Mick's children) into the Riva clan?

15. Did you feel empathy towards Mick as the story unfolded? Do you think he got what he deserved in the end?"
While I could understand his inability to genuinely connect with and honestly love his children due to his own childhood, I could not in the least bit forgive him for attempting to manipulate his own children for his own selfish purposes. I just reread page 280 where he is practicing his manipulative speeches to make to woo them into accepting him once again. Pages 246 and 247 describe Mick's currently life--the rejection of his recordings for release, his lack of a manager/wife, etc. He was 50 and living in a huge house all by himself with no foreseeable future left in music, etc. He sensed he was on his way to becoming a has-been, IMO. He thought now that his children were all adults he could better relate to them, offer them advice, etc., and they could provide him with some companionship, belonging, etc. Yeah, now call back the children you've neglected their whole lives so they can make you feel better in your old age.

IMO, he did not get what he deserved. He deserved so very much worse... He was nothing more or less than a manipulative asshole with no one left to manipulate but his paid butler, Sully! Too f***ing bad, bud! You blew it!

Nadine in NY wrote: "9. Another choice that June made that we haven't discussed is (view spoiler) Would you have done the same?

I was impressed with that, she did the right thing for the child, and it worked out well in the end. I would not have been able to do that. It requires a combination of selflessness and spinelessness that I do not possess."
I find that word interesting. I would have never thought that. In fact, I thought it took real balls to just say, "Yep! You are a supreme asshole, Mick, but guess what, I can raise this child even if you and your bimbo won't! So there!" *Insert raspberry-making face here!* LOL

cat herine wrote: "11. We haven't talked about Kit at all, and yet I think she is a great character. While I started getting annoyed with her obsession of not having yet kissed a boy, I appreciated how hard it must be to feel overlooked by your siblings when you are the youngest. What did you think of her?

I found her equal parts annoying and interesting. I think the obsession from not kissing a boy stemmed from (view spoiler)."
I agree with you. I kept thinking that was probably her revulsion at kissing a boy, etc., and then it was recognized as such but didn't go any further. But I was okay with that. I mean, the book has to end at some point! LOL

"What annoyed me about Kit, in particular, was that revelation that (view spoiler). I found it to be incredibly selfish, especially at the end (view spoiler)."
I think I could understand that a bit better having not had any contact at all with my biological father and always wishing that I had a father in my life. Kit didn't know Mick at all. The boys didn't know him very well. Nina barely knew him at all. I felt that Kit just wanted to satisfy her curiosity as much as anything. Maybe that's me inserting myself into the character...

Teri wrote: "9. Another choice that June made that we haven't discussed is [taking in Mick's child Hud and raising him as her own. (hide spoiler)] Would you have done the same?"
Boy, oh boy. I don't honestly know. You have to understand, my first husband was screwing around on me and I do NOT tolerate that. If being married doesn't mean you will be faithful to me then don't marry me. Period. But a poor helpless defenseless baby... And she was obviously not going to care for him. I felt June was probably a better person than me to accept him as she did...and yet, honestly, it's not as if she and Mick were in a good relationship. So I guess I would have? But as others have said, I would have definitely pursued Mick for child support. Though I must say, in that time, there weren't the laws then that there are now to hold parents legally and financially responsible. And he supposedly had so much money he could have probably bribed his way to get the legal system to leave him alone. Money buys "justice" in the U.S. to a great degree.

"10. Nina's relationship with her husband felt to me that she was never very connected, that she just went along because it seemed the thing to do. Do you agree? If so, why do you think it was that way?"
Actually, she was one of the "beautiful people" and so was he. Plus I think it might have felt nice for her not to have to be the one making all the decisions, etc. I mean he purchased that house without even asking her, etc. I kinda thought she was like June in that marrying to have someone take her away/take care of her.

"11. We haven't talked about Kit at all, and yet I think she is a great character. While I started getting annoyed with her obsession of not having yet kissed a boy, I appreciated how hard it must be to feel overlooked by your siblings when you are the youngest. What did you think of her?"
I adored Kit. She is my kind of person. Just say it like it is! I loved her forthrightness and honesty! And I especially loved the way she immediately befriended Casey.

Teri wrote: "AnnMarie wrote: "I listened to an interview with the author and she said that she felt like her book didn't have enough characters so she threw a bunch in at the end. For me, it didn't work. I like..."

I guess I wasn't bothered by all the people at the party. It was pretty obvious that anybody who wanted to just walk in could do that and be part of it. I have been to parties like that but again...I didn't stay long enough for it to get rowdy and/or out of control. But I could easily imagine that happening!

Teri wrote: "Nadine, your comment about your daughters made me laugh. That may be one of the best things about having siblings - someone to complain about your parents with. It isn't the same with friends who j..."
One of the book club members in my favorite used bookstore's book club was just complaining in much the same way about her in-laws! I don't know if she is an only child but she didn't marry until age 38 and she has no children and doesn't intend to have any children. In fact, it angers her to have to be around children. Which is fine. At least she knows her preferences and what will make her happy. But I can imagine it is torture for her to spend much time in such a situation.

Erica wrote: "6. How do you feel about the choices mother June made?
She should have taken Mick to court for child support but at the same time she was protecting her kids from the public. She coped with alcohol and it's easy to judge but I don't know what addiction awareness was like in that time period."
It wasn't. Everything that happened behind closed doors stayed there!

Teri wrote: "So my question for the only children in the crowd - did you ever have problems fitting in with your spouse's family get-togethers, or is it just my only-child sister-in-law who cannot stand the noise and our family dynamics? Is it fun watching your children interact with their siblings?

And I'm glad you didn't feel lonely as a child, Nadine. I'm sure it would have been just as weird for you to have siblings as it would for me to be an only child. Fortunately we mostly adapt to our situations as we know nothing else."
One of the things that attracted me to my first husband was his big family. But I also already knew his parents and many of his cousins, so I think that helped me be more comfortable. It wasn't as if they were all strangers. I loved having big family get-togethers. I am a very social person, but on my own time. In other words, I love being social in my job and with friends, etc., but when I go home (I've always lived in isolated settings in the country until I moved in with my current husband.) I want to be left alone. I don't want a TV on and many times don't even have music playing. Silence is golden for me.

But, with my three sons and their friends, I was always up for sleepovers, etc.! (I think I was trying to be the exact opposite of my own childhood when I didn't feel comfortable inviting other kids over to my house...) It was fun! My husband and his friends would always tease me about having more children 'cause I was always the one who led the kids in cooking projects, art projects, reading aloud, etc. It was me and the kids and then the other adults entertaining themselves! LOL

Teri wrote: "6. How do you feel about the choices mother June made?
June made a lot of choices, as we all do. She reminded me so much of my mother, marrying the charming cute guy who promises you the world. And then continuing to take him back over and over, and continuing to have children with him, and then when he's gone for good never getting over him. So I was rather angry with June, just like I've been angry with my mother. This book was just so personal and so frustrating for me. However, it also reminded that I'm not the only child to go through this whole mess, which was kind of reassuring in a way."
That would be so difficult. I always used to think as a child/teenager that at least I didn't have to endure parents fighting, etc. I just never had my biological father in my life at all.

7. Jay was able to forgive Hudson (view spoiler). Do you think you would have been able to do the same? What do you think about what Hudson did and how he handled it?
While I think Hudson should have 'fessed up sooner than he did, I also have some issues with the concept of"
I totally agree! I never assumed I still had dibs on someone once I quit dating that person. In fact, after breaking up with one guy in high school he immediately started dating one of my best friends and they ended up happily married. I was good with that. I've often felt that many times the people I dated and then didn't date would marry the next person they dated. It was like I was the last person just before they found the one they truly loved. I always wondered what was up with that! 😁 This kinda reminds me of people who sell a house and then get all upset over changes that a new owner makes to it. WTH? You sold the damn thing. It is NO longer yours! LOL

"8. What did you think about all the details of the party scenes? Is this a party you would like to attend?
The party scenes were my least favorite of the book. I just cannot relate to that level of narcissism. If there are parties like that among the rich and famous, I'm really glad I'm not famous (I'd take the rich part and avoid those parties)."
While I wouldn't like to have been there, I thought it presented a picture of how outrageous these people would/could act. I mean, you get 200 people together "partying" (that can mean many different things to different people) and chaos can reign. Whenever I was at a party I made sure I had a way out if I didn't want to stay. I usually left early and didn't stay long.

Nadine in NY wrote: "Teri wrote: "I also cannot imagine being an only child. It always sounded lonely and quiet to me. Was it? ..."


Not particularly. It's not like I was raised on Mars, there were other people around..."
I would agree about interacting with adults. I was always very comfortable doing so and many times other kids my age were very uncomfortable around adults.