Karen’s Comments (group member since Jun 07, 2016)

Karen’s comments from the Not Just Another Buddy Read group.

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HAHAHA! There were a lot of great lines in that 1st story.

There was a line that also stood out to me when I was reading it but now I completely forgot what it was.

I just finished the first one! Such a cute, light, fluffy read : o )

I am looking forward to the other two which are intertwined with the first one.

I'm sure the Native American guy is a protagonist in one of the stories and I'm looking forward to it!

Having a Native American main character makes me think of that book and the movie it's based on called Tiger Eyes. Have you guys ever read/seen it? Simple story but very deep :)

Yeah in this case I don't mind really wondering "what if" after properly processing the ending. The whole entire book reading experience kind of prepares you for it because "the truth" was held just out of reach throughout story. We're used to speculating lol

I am well into the first story of Let It Snow! Really fun read :)

Yeah Chris made some horrible decisions. For someone who is portrayed as the strong protector he really was weak. When he first revealed "the truth" to his mother I was just like Oh Chris....... but if you really think about it, if I put myself in his shoes... MAN he really must not have TRUSTED his parents AT ALL if in the 30 minutes he left Emily alone with the gun and stayed by the car he didn't think to call his parents. He didn't think to call the police (sirens would have probably freaked Emily out) but anyone else, anyone at all. How can you just sit there and let someone you love blow their brains out and not run for help. I just don't get it. If I put myself in his shoes I can't imagine doing what he did - nothing. My body would have screamed in indignation.

From experience I also think that the best way to support a person suffering from depression is with a kind but strong hand. I don't think you should encourage the depression by going along with the dark thoughts and behavior.

Melanie...how can you just destroy the last bit of your daughter? Maybe because it revealed a bit of Emily's imperfections and she just needed to destroy all evidence of Emily not being perfect. Madness...

Yeah, Chris' fate was left up to us to imagine. I also would like to imagine that if nothing else, the experience helped Chris appreciate life and freedom and that going forward he would cherish these things.

I can't imagine Michael and Melanie together for much longer but I can see Gus and James working it out. I think the whole experience made James take steps forward in accepting imperfections. He loves his family deeply (I liked seeing his thoughts on his daughter from his POV) and I think it will work out for them.

Oh wow! Can you imagine if that note was Emily's confession back when they were kids?? That would be crazy. That didn't cross my mind at all.

Ok you guys so I finished the book and I kind of wanted to punch a wall lol Well I wanted to run into the book universe and shake a few people around.

I'm happy Chris was set free. The truth, the scene of Emily's death, was really painful. "Do it, do it now Chris!"

I can't get over the fact that no one ever found out about Emily's trauma. It drives me crazy. Maybe Chris is a better person than I am but if my closest friends or husband or sister told me they wanted to kill themselves but didn't want to tell me why they needed it all to be over, it would drive me bananas. I wouldn't be able to move past it I think.

It's incredible that Chris got that far with Emily without actually knowing why. With good reason at the end he felt like he hated Emily due to her selfishness.

No one ever found our Melanie burned the diary either!

And that message Chris found in the very last scene that was empty. That was probably because they had written it in invisible ink as kids right?

So many open items, I guess it's supposed to parallel what a person commuting suicide does, leaves everything unfinished.

Chris saying at the end that he didn't suppose it mattered any more. Does that mean he will be commiting suicide too? During his testimony there was a moment I thought it was foreshadowed that he would be commiting suicide as well even if he was found not guilty because he realized he couldn't live without Em, not for long anyway. Or do you think his resentment at having been put through that in the first place, of her selfishness would release Emily's hold over him, leaving him free to continue his life?

Major props to James Harte for finally stepping up! I'm glad he was there for Gus at the end. I don't understand why Michael Gold is still with Melanie though. I think it's very likely they will split up down the line.

I understand why the story is called a love story now. The scene that paints it the best for me is the night of the suicide when both their hands were on the gun and Chris said he was doing it for her and Emily said she was doing if for him. I understood their reasoning although I didn't agree with it. It was very sad and tragic and if they were real people it would make me emotionally sick.

Overall the book was very good! The prison scenes and the court case scenes where some of my favorites. Very well written :)

Jodi really does have a very unique writing style. I don't think I can take reading another one for a while. I don't mind the changing POVs but the mystery and knowing more than the characters at the end of the story is what gets me. My nerves!!

Sorry for taking so long to finish it! I would love to hear your thoughts :)

I know! I only need to listen to the last two disks : D I listened to it yesterday at work, in my car during my lunch break, during my commute and even at home! I am listening to it now at work today as well.

I just finished the part in the trial where the art teacher testified.
I like how Jodi wrote the court scenes. Both lawyers do a great job of making the witnesses the other lawyer brings up seem dismissive.

As for the flashbacks, the last one stopped where Chris embraced Emily as she held the revolver up to her head...

I also went ahead and read chapter 1 of the first story in Let It Snow. Great start!

I'm going to listen to some more of The Pact now!

Yeah the whole thing is tragic just like all suicides I suppose.

I think Emily was too rash. It's crazy how she couldn't think about any other alternatives. Must have been the depression clouding her mind. Hormonal imbalances from the pregnancy?

The first abortion didn't go well because the doctor had to go and say "Let's see what we have here" just like the creep in the McDonald's. But she could have gone to another abortion clinic or asked for a female doctor. She wouldn't have had to explain why, just say she preferred a female. Then she would have gone off to college. Miles and miles away from Chris. She could have drifted away from him naturally. Gotten new friends, a new boyfriend. Gone to a psychologist to help cope with her experience with the creep. So many options but she couldn't think of any of those.

And yeah, Chris was afraid the Em would not forgive him. I can understand that. But he really should have weighed having Emily mad at him vs not having Emily at all. I think it all went out of his hands before he realized it.

I'm in the middle of the trial. It's very interesting! Can't believe it's gotten to this point.

So close to the truth!!!!

The fact Chris didn't tell anyone about Emily being suicidal makes me so mad. The fact that he thought he could save her or change her mind...that once he saw she wasn't changing her mind he still didn't get help. Makes me so so mad.

I don't understand how Emily can suggest to Chris he kill himself too if she loves him. It's all so annoying. I can see her wanting to kill herself without revealing anything to preserve her good image and their perfect love in Chris' mind but not the part where she suggest he come down with her too.

Also, Chris mentioned that sometimes Emily's orgasms triggered her own. I'm can't believe Emily would have orgasms when she slept with Chris if she felt like they were having incest the whole time. I don't buy that!

Yess! I think I will finish it by the end of the work week :)

I got Let it Snow and I'm excited to pick it up the moment I finish The Pact.

The dedication for the first story reads:

"And for all who toil behind the facade of a corporate monolith, for every person who has to say grande latte three thousand times a day, for every soul who's ever had to deal with a broken credit card reader in the holiday rush . . . this one is for you."

That already makes me want to laugh lol

Cool! My library doesn't have it so I'll get the ebook version :)

I bet Erin hasn't replied yet because she's super swamped with finals. Good luck Erin!

Still working my way through The Pact. Got to the part called The Truth so we'll see! I might finally know what happened that night. Lots of annoying scenes with miscommunication between the spouses. I'm enjoying the prison scenes more than I thought I would. Gus and Michael started their secret meetings, the last one ending in a kiss! Then when Chris realized his mom was getting close to Michael he invites his dad to come visit him at the prison? I don't get him sometimes. One of the biggest things though happened a while ago and I forgot to bring it up. Omg Melanie finding that diary and not sharing it with any one! Can someone slap some sense into her already?? I wonder if she really did burn it. I think it will most likely come up later during the trial or something in a big way. Another big scene was when the details of what happened in that McDonald's bathroom were revealed to us. How sickening :( the description of Emily's artwork titled Self Portrait wow!

No problem!!!

Hmmm between those my choice is #3 Let it Snow. It sounds like fun getting three stories at once and then picking a favorite between the three.

Hello!

Any news on the December book? :')

Oh and another thing I keep thinking about as I read Chris' experience in jail and the court system is the HBO mini-series "The Night Of".

The show is very good and gives you a real and vivid look at what happens after you're indicted. If you liked that part of The Pact I highly recommend it.

Yeah I only like the idea of running Chris over with a car because he really annoys me. It's not all his fault. Part of it is how the author wrote the story. I'm having a real problem not knowing what happened and how long they are taking to get to the point.

As for what Melanie did at the courtroom during the arraignment... Yeah that I can't get behind. Very petty.

James Harte not talking to his wife the night their son was taken to jail ughhhh! Melanie Gold not telling her husband she was taking him to court ughhhh!

Dano you should suggest the options for the December book so we can start ordering it. :) I'm sorry I am taking forever with the Nov book but it shouldn't interrupt the next book's time. :)

Heavy? Ok I'll prepare my heart >.< lol

So... Melanie is crazy but she just lost a daughter. I would be sick with grief as well. But... what she was doing at the library was dumb. I can applaud her almost running down Chris with her car much more. That was awesome!

Michael Gold and Gus Harte staring at each other from their kid's rooms.... awwww.... I don't condone infidelity but it almost makes me wish they would get together already. Of course considering what happened to Emily that probably be disastrous no matter how well Michael is taking it.

Is the ending very unexpected? Still about 20% in....

I went through the whole flashback at the ski resort when they were 13 years old. I'm not sure what the author is trying to imply but Chris ends up being spiteful towards Emily, drinking, Emily gets hurt and Chris later regrets it, he kills a hare and regrets it... and that's when they kiss for the first time and he vows to be her guardian angel. I feel like all of this will parallel what happens the Friday night Emily died night somehow. But not sure if I am reading too much into it or if that's expected behavior for a 13 year old (an age imo when kids get really mean and just are at their worse).

They keep talking about hunting in a bad way lol At least that's what it seems to me.

I think James Harte is not the BEST husband and father but he is a good doctor so it made me sad to read the part he felt he did not deserve the reward from the medical journal.

LOL at James and Gus' corny Christmas sex foreplay?? Michael Gold putting his foot in his mouth BIG TIME by telling his wife that he could imagine Gus having sex much better than he could imagine James! HAHAHA! Who says that?

Dear Melanie,

Guiding people to the wrong shelves in the library is a reaaaalllyyy reaaaalllyyy reaaaaalllllly dumb way to express your anger. Please stop wasting everyone's time.

Sincerely,
The readers

Seriously, she's insane! Her daughter died though :/

I just finished the truth and dare flashback too! I stopped where Chris went down to the police station. He's finally talking a little!!!

I hated that they were playing truth and dare. Always makes me nervous in movies and stuff. It's horrible what happened in the McDonald's.....

Either Emily was haunted by a recent rape or never go over what happened in her childhood. Could it be she got some sort of STD? I think what happened is that the night Emily died she really wanted to go through with it and last minute Chris tried to stop her so they tussled, fighting over the gun and the gun ended up going off and killing Emily. I'm not sure why Chris brought the gun in the first place but maybe cause he half believed he could go through with it especially since Emily was the one person he cared about. I don't think Chris knew about the pregnancy. Emily must have been freaked out about it for another reason besides being pregnant at 17. Maybe she had a disease she would transfer to the baby or maybe it was the result of a rape.

Very sad :(

Kristy wrote: "I'm further behind than you are, Karen... I just read the part where James puts down the dog & all I can say is I don't get either couples relationship ... I mean seriously neither really communica..."

Yeah! That scene at the beach is what sparked that idea I mentioned above about maybe one of the two being gay but as I listened on there has been other stuff that seems to suggest that is not the case.

Yeah, they really don't communicate. And Gus leaving the house for one night really didn't do anything to help the matter. That was a bit bratty on her behalf. And yes, I also think there will be an affair :P