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

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

Thank you guys! I already put in the request for The Iron King a couple days ago.

I'm so glad we've kept this up for three months :) it's been great!

Hi guys! So sorry for being gone for a few days. I've been on vacation and ironically it's given me less time to read and browse online. Am I doing vacation the wrong way? lol

Anywho, I had a chance to write back today. I also vote The Iron King. My library has it available and it's also the one I'm most interested in plot wise.

I also think Deb was a bit annoying in the book. For example the way that she would get so mad at Dexter for not figuring out the murder and getting her the promotion. Like, figure it out for yourself and actually deserve the promotion! She just came across a bit whiny. I actually had the chance to see the first two episodes of the show and they also depict her as a bit childish there imo.

I hope you've both been doing well!

Oh that's great! I'm glad you're enjoying the book.

Isn't that scene completely insane?!! I can't even imagine!!! :o

Yeah it was great :) A fun read! I think I might watch the TV show. Never thought I would like it but now I think I will!

I finished the book today guys!!! There were a lot of things I liked about the story. I'm really glad I picked it up. The last scene was very good. I never even guessed at the twist! There was one part that gave me goosebumps but when all was said and done I did feel like it was anticlimactic (the epilogue). It seems like this book is the first in a series and there are more books later. I really did like it though <3 There were so many funny moments in Dexter's narration and I'll never forget the imagery of sociopaths hunting for their next victim under the full moon. *scary* Did love that twist!!! Never saw it coming.

That's great!

Oh man! I got to a part where Dexter goes after a janitor on a night with a full moon. Let me tell you, that scene was pretty intense. It's shaken me up the way scary movies do. Last night I was doing laundry at the apartment complex where I live and I had to go outside between the laundry and my unit 4 times between 8 PM to 11 PM and there was a huge and eerily beautiful full moon and I was scared as heck thanks to Dexter lol OH GOODNESS! But I really am enjoying it :)

Yes <3 I love how their friendship and relationship as co-leaders has developed. I would love to see them paired up one day too! But I'm really enjoying the journey :D

I'm on the fence about the spoiler thing. I like finding out spoilers because that moment is very satisfying. But as I'm reading the story for myself I feel like it would have been better if I didn't know what was going to happen. Some of my favorite books are my favorite books because some kind of crazy twist happened at the end that left me in complete shock and agony for days and days. I wouldn't have felt so strongly if I had know what was going to happen. So for the most part I try to avoid them but I don't mind them sometimes either (it has to be a book I'm not superinvested in).

I'm sorry you're still waiting on the book though! I hope you get it soon.

The story so far has been very interesting. I like it! He references so much Miami (accurate for the most part imo but not 100%) and I love seeing the world from his sociopathic pov. The way he fakes being a normal person and how he is so fascinated by this new serial murder on the prowl. The book is a bit of a psychological thriller as well because certain things happen where Dexter is uncertain if they are real or not. I wasn't expecting that but I'm glad it's going that way. It makes it even more interesting. I wonder if we will find out about his past (the past he can't remember). I thought the part about his adoptive father and the advice he gave him was very very interesting. I liked that part too. I'm really enjoying the book :)

The 100 is amazing!!! I love it! I think it's the best show out there even though I know it's not really but I don't know, since the beginning I loved it :)) I even met the actor and actress that play Clarke and Bellamy in person (they went to a con in Miami). They're from Australia like you Erin!

I'm glad you're enjoying your book Kristy :)

I'm on chapter 4 of Dexter right now via audiobook.

Hiii guys! I hope you had a nice weekend :)

I started Darkly, Dreaming Dexter today! Popped the first CD into my car radio this morning and so far I really like it :) Love how he describes his urge to kill as the other dark entity inside of him. Don't want to spoil anything but it opens up with him on the prowl for a victim and it was already so dark and crazy. I think I'll enjoy this one :)

I didn't get any progress on Woman of a Thousand Secrets this weekend. Sorry I didn't contribute to discussions so much. Once I finish I'll write a review here on Goodreads but I don't want to impair on our Dexter discussion :)

Have either one of you seen the show? Dexter? I never have so everything is going to be a surprise. I forgot the story takes place in Miami. I live in Miami! It's funny to read(hear) about places like Homestead (a city very close but south of Miami) mentioned in the story.

And Kristy, regarding TV, it's the same at my house. We pretty much just stream everything and don't watch anything live. But the only cable provider we can use only had a $20 difference between having Internet+cable and not having cable so we just went for it. But honestly we barely use it. Occasionally when we have guests over and to see certain things live like award shows or the Olympics. The only other time I use cable is to watch my favorite show on The CW live, The 100. But even that, if I didn't have cable I could stream the very next day.

@Kristy - Yeah I guess so!!! Aww too bad you can't see it live on TV. Isn't NBC on the free channels? I think they put some stuff live. Not sure if it's just here in my local area though. But there are ton of videos on YouTube of the highlights and stuff :) My favorite things to see are the gymnastics (normal and rhythm), synchronized diving and swimming and then also the races whether it is swimming or track. I do like to see the court games too though and out of all of them my faves are tennis and volleyball too. :)

@Erin - Awesome! I'm glad you both liked the book :))) Let us know more details if you want. Don't hold back cause of me. Will you be able to get Dexter by the 16th so we can start mid-month as usual? Let us know!

Hi guys!

Just wanted to check in :)

I have Dexter waiting for me at the library so I'll be picking it up Fri or Sat. I got it in audiobook format and I listen to while driving to and from work so I will probably get through it at a very good pace :)

I am ashamed to say that I still haven't finished Woman of a Thousand Secrets. I'm exactly 50% though it :( They just got to the city where they might find the flower after days and days of travel (there was a small time skip). *sigh* I'm sorry. I really don't hate the book. I've just been distracted. I haven't picked it up for a week I think. I am going to try to set aside some time this weekend to finish it. I usually get through 12-15% of books a day when I'm actively reading so if I just dedicate 5-8 hours throughout the next 3 days I should be able to do it.

But well August 16th I'll be popping that first Dexter disk into my car's CD player for sure!!!

Hope you've both been well :) Erin, how are classes? Have you guys been watching the Olympics? I haven't seen as much as I wish I could see but it's been nice :)

Omg Balam changes his mind about what do to to Kaan and Tonina and himself every other page! LOL

Yeah I loved reading about Kaan and Tonina going to the jungle together all sullen and hating on each other lol

I don't hate One Eye. I don't love him but I don't hate him. I like that she fleshed him out and made him a complicated character. He might end up doing something evil at the end of the story though but part of me wishes he gets a happy ending too. We'll see....

The one that I disliked was Lady Six Doves although her end was harsh. I liked Lady Jade Sky. She was sweet and made cute bracelets. Since she was the wife with the romantic interest of our main character I didn't think she would be around for long but still sad she had to go like that. And then there is the prince. I don't dislike him as much as his wife Six Doves. I really liked his fatherly feelings. Let's see how far he falls...

I'm looking forward to reading more. Just got to the part where the caravan meets up with Kaan and Tonina in the jungle. Love those Nine Brother guys lol they are such fan boys.

Dexter is already on his way :)

So still reading Woman of a Thousand Secrets and I'm not sure how far you've read Erin so let me just say big surprise about Brave Eagle!! I personally loved it!

I'm on Chapter 26.

Sounds great! I get through audio books really fast :) Sending in the request right now.

The research satisfies my curiosity but not doing it doesn't take away from the story at all.

One of the things in the story that was driving me nuts was how they kept mentioning how the rich Mayans had these peaked skulls and dented foreheads and crossed eyes. That they "beautified" their children this way by pressing their skulls against boards shortly after birth. I was like what??? And finally I had to look it up. I can't believe that it is actually true!! It's amazing what some cultures consider beautiful. It's really all about perspective ;)

Ah I see about Birds in the Sky. I'll keep that in mind for when I finally pick it up. :)

As for the August book, I'll just read one of the two since as you guys can tell I can barely keep up with reading one book lol I looked up my availability and I can get an electronic copy of Assassin's Apprentice and I can get an audio book version or physical copy version of Dexter. Sooo...again up to you! Let me know what the final decision is :)

I can't believe you finished both! That's so cool :) What where the parts you thought the author could have cut out? Was it world building, technical explanations?

Got a bit of reading done yesterday, met Brave Eagle, One Eye, the prince and his common friend who are both athletes. And they got into the city. I'm intrigued by the setting and era. I keep Googling stuff like Mayapan to find out more about this time and place in history. I feel like stopping and reading in depth about Aztecs and Mayans. I know Mayans originated in Central America and slowly migrated up the land but by this time and place (1323 AD) were the Aztecs gone from Mexico? Taken out by the Mayans? One Eye mentioned Nahuatl people (Nahuatl being the language the Aztecs spoke) living farther northwest than were they are now. Maybe it will become clearer as the story progresses. I love how you learn about history as you read Barbara Wood's books.

Also, the thing about Tonina asking for directions and mistaking the word Yucatan for the place's name when it actually means "I don't understand". I was confused because when I looked up Mayapan it turns out it is in what is known today as the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. I looked into it a bit more and a popular theory about the use of Yucatan in our modern language is that when the Spaniards came and asked for the name of the place the natives replied Yucatan as in we don't understand and the Spaniards took it as the name of the place which is what we know it as today. I think it's interesting how the author took that and wove it into the story by having Tonina make the same mistake.

I'm going to read some more tonight and hopefully not stop too much along the way with questions.

As for the August book, my favorite is Assassin's Apprentice so it's up to you between the two Kristy :)

Thanks Kristy! Okay, let us know your books :)

Good luck with your assignments Erin!

Omg!! I'm so glad you liked the story! I'm still a measly 15% through it but I plan do to a lot of reading this week. Sorry for the delay. My sister gave birth to my nephew on Monday and I can't seem to stop binge watching Gilmore Girls on Netflix (I'm watching it for the first time). But this weekend it's going to all book book book!

I don't want to take away time from your book pick in August so start letting us know what book you select so we start requesting it from the library or ordering it.

I'll start posting my thoughts and comments about WoaTS regularly soon.

I love Barbara Wood. She always weaves such a vivid story of parts of history we don't really know much about. I've only read two other books by her but if you ever want to pick up another one I think one of her best ones in The Blessing Stone. It's really unique.

Ok going to do some serious reading now :)