Vicki’s Comments (group member since Sep 08, 2018)

Vicki’s comments from the Challenge Corner group.

Through Ch. 34

(view spoiler)[Boy, the weight of what's been passed down is heavy on both Charlie and Sidney. Their journey is changing all the time. Some of the characters are pushing back against their heritage while others are expected to carry the "weight of the elephants."

I feel like the pacing has quickened but the emotional weight keeps the story grounded, if that makes sense. Memory isn't just about nostalgia, but it's about shaping choices in the present. (hide spoiler)]

Through Ch. 23

(view spoiler)[Charlie's refections on his wrongful conviction have really brought to light the trauma of a wrongful conviction! Interesting - that saying that elephants have a great memory makes me think here how what happened to him can never be erased/forgotten.

I see how Sidney would wonder how he could "claim" her as his daughter after all this time has gone by and he's been absent. The silent times between them speaks loud, like every unspoken word between them is an elephant in the room.

I'm thoroughly enjoying this one so far. (hide spoiler)]

Through Ch. 11

(view spoiler)[This one is trippy and super philosophical! The way it starts by introducing Charlie as the world has been totally reshaped by a surreal cataclysm of every white person in America walking into the water and drowning themselves. Ugh. But that would definitely created a new societal landscape.

I imagine the shock when Sidney calls as "Elizabeth's daughter." Not even knowing she was alive, she's half-white and lived though the self-drownings. Her spending so much time herself in isolation would've been very difficult, Their conversations are full of tension! I think due to the years of absence that Charlie feels guilt and parental obligations to her now.

I love the symbolism of the elephants in the sky! Charlie's internal conflict is evident and full of trauma. I'm curious how their trip to the South will change things. The whites are all gone, but the history is still there. The speculative fiction style is interesting too. I think the book is doing an excellent job of weaving in questions of power, identity, and meaning, especially through Charlie's eyes as a scientist and a man who's haunted by his past. He's carrying the burden of his own story AND a generational one. (hide spoiler)]

I'm here too and SO sorry for the delay. Thanks, Trisha, for letting me know about this team/thread, :)

I somehow missed this. If possible and teams still can use another player, may I please join Trisha’s team?

Finished last night but dozed off and didn't get a chance to post my final thoughts so here they are.

(view spoiler)[I had wondered all along if Julien was a "good" guy because he just seemed TOO anxious to get them to "the party" and then there wasn't even a party. I don't often like books that have cults in them and I thought in some ways that the cult of bone worshippers was a bit on the silly side. I was sad to see Val killed too even though her personality almost made her deserve it. lol I was happy that Sean and Ruby ended up together and all of the parents seemed to be more accepting now that they know what it's like to almost lose their child. In reality, what a horrible experience that would have been for everyone! (hide spoiler)]

Through Ch. 37 / pg. 262 / 75%

(view spoiler)[Oh. My. God. I did NOT expect anyone to die! The loss of Olivia crushed me. She had been steady and resourceful, and to see her die just because her inhaler slipped away...devastating. It drove home how fragile every single moment in the catacombs is.

The group feels different now. The energy shifts some. Julien is still leading, but even he's been shaken. I could feel the fear clawing at all of them, and me too! The catacombs feel like living, breathing villains!

And the action! The underwater squeezes, the near-misses, the scraping through jagged stone. It had me sitting on the edge of my seat. The atmosphere is just so claustrophobic and relentless.

And then that guy...omg! He showed up like a predator in the darkness, using the cave to his advantage. The catacombs were bad enough, but add a killer in the mix? No, thank you! Watching them fight him off and finally end it was both terrifying and a relief. But it also showed me how far they've been pushed. These kids aren't just surviving the catacombs, they're surviving the worst of humanity in them.

And, bless Sean. He's a winner and one to keep! (hide spoiler)]

Through Ch. 23 / pg. 176 / 51%

(view spoiler)[Boy, the tension really ramped up here! Ruby and the girls are still trapped in the catacombs, and the weight of being lost is really starting to press on them. They have fewer options and every step they take just seems to make the situation more desperate.

The writing makes you feel the walls closing in. The darkness, the tight air, the endless tunnels, so the fear really sinks in! Urban makes the reader (ME) feel the fear of being trapped underground. Every turn they take can be dead end. I feel like even the air feels heavy and it's hard to breathe. They have LITTLE light and I can feel the dark catacombs, the bones, the dead body (bodies), ugh. It's such a suffocating, closed-in feeling.

Ruby and Selena keep clashing. Val's boldness is cracking, and Olivia's trying to keep the peace. (Do I have all that right?) lol
Sean's chapters aboveground balance this all out because you can feel his panic and how desperate he is to get help before it's too late.

One of the scariest moments so far is when they realize they'll have to hold their breath and go through the water, with Julien leading them. Trusting Julien in that moment adds another layer of fear. You just don't know if he's leading them to safety or into more danger.

Sean staying behind after his dad ordered him to come home proves just how much Ruby really does mean to him. I hope his dad is more forgiving! (hide spoiler)]

Jamie, you and Alaina are doing an awesome job for us! Don't stress...it's only a game and meant to be FUN! :)

Thanks for posting a book for me, Alaina. :) I have a few reviews to do and I'll try to get them done today.

That's cool, thanks. I wasn't able to read more yesterday so I'm getting back to it now. :)

Through Ch. 12 / pg. 101 / 29%

I can't read most of the above spoilers because they don't have chapter numbers so I don't know what they cover. I can agree with the idea that this one reads quickly which I love.

(view spoiler)[This one hooked me right from the start. Ruby juggling her travel vlogging, her feelings for Sean, and the awkward tension with Selena pulled me in.

When Val follows her mysterious French boy into the catacombs it takes quite the turn! Of course, we now know he is Julien. I really liked how quickly the mood shifted. The tunnels at first felt like a secret adventure and teens giving in to peer pressure, but the bones, the silence, the twists in the passages made it downright chilling. You can feel the panic start to creep in!

Sean's perspective aboveground adds a nice layer of urgency, reminding me that the danger isn't just "down there" and time is ticking.

The Paris catacombs are such a backdrop, and I like how they appear to double as a metaphor for the characters' secrets and fractured trust. Definitely a strong, suspenseful start for me. (hide spoiler)]

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Pages: 159
Elsa: Author’s initials in OLAF
How it Fits: Author is Antoine Laurain whose initials are A. L.

I still haven't even gotten my books for August from BOTM so I have no idea when I'll be able to jump in. They're taking much longer than usual!

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Pages: 278
Belle Flower(s) on cover
How it Fits: Flowers on the cover

Saige wrote: "I've only been doing scores once or twice a day because people across all three teams seem to need time to think of words (letters frequently stay unused for like a day or so as people think of stu..."

I hope nobody thinks I'm complaining because I'm not. I was just wondering and I am confident that Alaina and Jamie are doing a fantastic job. Just trying to understand the pacing. No worries!

Jamie wrote: "We only get new letters once we use them. So, with as much as we all read, we will always have a ton of banked books."

I thought so but we have so many letters available to us with all our banked books that I thought we'd fly through the letters. I guess I just don't quite get it, but that's OK. I do my reading and that's what I'm good for. Not captain material! lol

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Pages: 172
Aladdin MC has a pet
How it Fits: Evie is the MC Clem's pet cat

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Pages: 149
Aladdin 5+ colors on the cover
How it Fits: There are 5+ colors on the cover

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Pages: 192
Aladdin 'Lamp' in text (pg/% & quote)
How it Fits: "the lamp is broken" (24)

Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Pages: 380
Aladdin 'Travel' in text (pg/% & quote)
How it Fits: "The travel editor?" (loc. 527)