Megan’s Comments (group member since Dec 30, 2017)

Megan’s comments from the EVERYONE Has Read This but Me - The Catch-Up Book Club group.

Jan wrote: "Megan wrote: "Happy Samhain, Happy Día de los Muertos, Happy Diwali to all who celebrate!"

Great to watch Coco"

Definitely!!!

Happy Samhain, Happy Día de los Muertos, Happy Diwali to all who celebrate!

Cynthia wrote: "Megan wrote: "I apologize for being slow to update my reading for the month–the weather has been very migrainy.

I'm very glad everyone who lives in places impacted by the hurricanes is well and sa..."

Thanks Cynthia, I'm sorry you have to deal with migraines too!

Thanks also for catching my errors, I'll get the points fixed.
Obvs I got confused about which month to read Death on the Nile, I hope everyone else enjoys it in November! It's got lots of great twists.

Heather wrote: "This is a reread for me and I did not change my rating. There were parts of it I enjoyed and there's a number of distinct/flawed characters which I found interesting, but I found the two main chara..."

I also love how uncomfortable Fanny is at being wooed by Henry! Haven't we all met someone almost everyone else thinks is charming who we don't like?

Jan wrote: "I do not think Fanny is on the autism spectrum. She is very good at reading others. She can definitely read a room. She is an observer. She is an introvert and shy. Not everybody can be the extrove..."

While autism is not the only form of neurodivergence, many people feel Fanny is autistic. Although many other people do not. I think, with her noise-sensitivity, rigid ideas of right and wrong, strong need for routine, and strong connection to place, she very well could be. She is definitely, as you say, very observant and introverted. And judgmental. She also has some sort of unspecified disability which makes her tire easily and makes her prone to migraines. I think this makes her important as a heroine who people on various spectrums can identify with.

Alaina wrote: "Thanks for the invite, Cynthia!

Hi everyone! I'm Alaina and new to this group (just joined today). I'm 32 and a mom to no one—not even a plant. I used to be a dog mom, but sadly, I said goodbye t..."

So sorry you lost your dog to cancer Alaina! Losing a beloved fur baby to cancer is particularly rough. I hope being part of the reading challenge helps.

updated post 46

I apologize for being slow to update my reading for the month–the weather has been very migrainy.

I'm very glad everyone who lives in places impacted by the hurricanes is well and safe!

I'm impressed at all the reading everyone has been doing!
I managed to read Mansfield Park, Jane Eyre and Death on the Nile, and am feeling very proud of myself. lol
I hope to get another short novel finished by tomorrow

Happy Halloween season to all who celebrate!

Judy wrote: "This is the one of Austen's novels that I haven't read, and I've been looking forward to crossing it off the list. I'm about 150 pages in, but it's just not grabbing me: I don't see the wry social ..."

I feel like it actually has a lot of social commentary, but it does build up more slowly than her other novels. I love how distinct most of the characters are–Mrs. Norris is a person I love to hate and an excellent example of a self-important gaslighter obsessed with social standing and with managing everyone else's lives.

I think Austen makes important points about true accomplishments when contrasting Julia and Maria with Fanny–Maria and Julia technically know more than Fanny when she arrives, and they've been trained in social graces, but their hearts aren't developed, and Austen captures the discomfort and guilty grief of being a poor relation transplanted to a new family and missing the old home while being constantly expected to be grateful.

I know a lot of people have trouble with Fanny. She's not a firebrand like Lizzie in P&P, but she's strong in her own way. She's obviously neurodivergent and has social anxiety, and we need more MCs like that. I love watching her learn to trust herself, and watching her larger family circle learn to appreciate her. I love her strong bond with her brother.

Ali wrote: "I'm in chapter 10 now, and found my unexpected source of joy in the way Edmund seems to think he's a protagonist in his own enemies-to-lovers romance novel rather than a supporting character in som..."

I love your take on Edmund as seeing himself as the MC in an enemies to lovers romance!

Glad everyone dealing with scary weather is safe!!!

Looking forward to rereading this with everyone—it’s one of my favorite Austen novels.

I second The lady of the Camellias

Thanks Tori!

October Reading Log

1-249 pages = 1 point
250-499 pages = 2 points
500-749 = 3 points
etc
graphic novels, picture books, or poetry are 0.5 points for every 250 pages.

Easy point-getters––books under 50 pages–– are limited to 10 per month.

Group reads for October, November or December are an extra 0.5 points.

1.A Caribbean Heiress in Paris by Adriane Herrera. 10/2––10/11. 368 pgs. 2pts.

2. 東京喰種トーキョーグール 8 Tokyo Guru 8 by Sui Ishida. 10/2––10/14. 216 pgs. graphic novel. .5 pts.

3. A Match Made for Thanksgiving by Jackie Lau. 10/13––10/15. 119 pgs. 1 pt.

4. The Wild Hunt, Vengeance Moon by Jocelin Fox. 10/5––10/15. 312 pgs. 2 pts.

5. A Second Chance Road Trip for Christmas by Jackie Lau. 10/16––10/18. 111 pgs. 1 pt.

6. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. 10/2––10/22. 488 pgs. 2.5 pts.

7. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. 10/22––10/27. 532 pgs. 3.5 pts.

8. Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie. 10/27––10/29. 352 pgs. 2 pts.

9. Pumpkin Spice & Poltergeist by Ali K. Mulford and K. Elle Morrison. 218 pgs. 10/23––10/31. 1 pt.

10. Harry Potter: The Prequel by JK Rowling. Easy Point getter. 1 pt.

11. The Coming of Mr. Quin - a Harley Quin Short Story by Agatha Christie. 100pgs. 10/31. 1 pt.

12. The Shadow on the Glass: A Mr. Quin Short Story by Agatha Christie. 100 pgs. 1 pt.

Total: 18.5 points

November

13.The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. 304 pgs. 11/1––11/3. Group Read. 2.5 pts.

14. At the 'Bells and Motley' - a Harley Quin Short Story by Agatha Christie. 100 pgs. 11/2. 1 pt.

15. The Sign in the Sky - a Harley Quin Short Story
by Agatha Christie. 100 pgs. 11/8. 1 pt.

16. The Soul of the Croupier - a Harley Quin Short Story by Agatha Christie. 100 pgs. 11/9. 1 pt.

17. The Face of Helen - a Harley Quin Short Story
by Agatha Christie. 34 pgs. Easy Point Getter. 11/10. 1 pt.

18. The Voice in the Dark - a Harley Quin Short Story by Agatha Christie. 29 pgs. Easy Point Getter. 11/10. 1 pt.

19. Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer by Traci Sorell. 32 pgs. Illustrated. .5 pts.

20. The Dead Harlequin - a Harley Quin Short Story by Agatha Christie. 40 pgs. Easy Point Getter.
11/11. 1 pt.

21. The Bird with the Broken Wing - a Harley Quin Short Story by Agatha Christie. 100 pgs. 11/11. 1 pt.

22. The World's End - a Harley Quin Short Story
by Agatha Christie. 37 pgs. Easy Point Getter. 11/11. 1 pt.

23. Harlequin's Lane: A Harley Quin Short Story
by Agatha Christie. 40 pgs. East Point Getter. 11/12. 1 pt.

24. The Love Detectives - a Harley Quin Short Story by Agatha Christie. 40 pgs. Easy Point Getter. 11/15. 1 pt.

25. The Harlequin Tea Set - a Harley Quin Short Story by Agatha Christie. 42 pgs. Easy Point Getter. 11/15. 1 pt.

26. A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger. 377 pgs. 11/15. 2 pts.

27. The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu. 32 pgs. Easy Point Getter. 11/16. 1 pt.

28. Earth Keeper: Reflections on the American Land by N. Scott Momaday. 80 pgs. 11/17. 1 pt.

29. 東京喰種トーキョーグール 9 Tokyo Guru 9
by Sui Ishida. 200 pgs. Manga. 11/17. .5 pts.

30. The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie. 308 pgs. 11/21. 2 pts.

31. Partners in Crime by Agatha Christie. 347 pgs. 11/23. 2 pts.

32. Fatty Legs by Margaret-Olemaun Pokiak-Fenton, Christy Jordan-Fenton, Liz Amini-Holmes. Illustrated but not heavily. 156 pgs. (2 hr audiobook) 1 pt?

33. The Blue Geranium: A Miss Marple Short Story
by Agatha Christie. 32 pgs. Easy Point Getter. 11/23. 1 pt.

34. N or M? by Agatha Christie. 304 pgs. 11/24 2 pts.

35. By the Pricking of My Thumbs by Agatha Christie. 212 pgs. 11/25. 1 pt.

36. I Think I Might Love You by Christina C Jones. 144 pgs. 11/26. 1 pt.

37. I Think I Might Need You by Christina C Jones. 152 pgs. 11/30. 1 pt.

November points: 29.5

December

38. The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo. 119 pgs. 12/1. 1 pt.

39. The Cinnamon Bun Book Store
347 pgs. 12/4. 2 pts.

40. When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain by Nghi Vo. 12/5. 128 pgs. 1 pt.

41. Into the Riverlands by Nghi Vo. 12/11.
100 pgs. 1 pt.

42. The Pumpkin Spice Café by Laurie Gilmore.
12/14. 373 pgs. 2 pts.

43. Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo. 12/14.
123 pgs. 1 pt.

44. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. 12/15.
184 pgs. Group read. 1.5 pts.

45. Just for the Holidays... by Adrianna Herrara. 12/19. 219 pgs. 1 pt.

46. The Brides of High Hill by Nghi Vo. 12/21
116 pgs. 1 pt.

47. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.
12/26. 176 pgs. 1.5 pts

48. Postern of Fate by Agatha Christie. 12/29.
256 pgs. 2 pts.

49. Go the F**k to Sleep by Adam Mansbach. 12/31. 64 pgs. .5 pts.

total December points 15.5

Hey Everyone,

I'm Megan. I live in southeast Iowa, in the USA. I've participated in the House Challenge since the early days, and it's always fun. I was in team Sam last year.

I'm not happy about the rule change that, for books to count, we have to start them in October, but I understand why people might have felt the need change the rules.

Cynthia has been my prefect before, and she's excellent!

I am disabled single parent with an adult child living in another state. I raised him to love reading. I love almost all books. I'm especially fond of romance, fantasy, sci-fi (especially Murderbot and solar punk right now), well-plotted mysteries, interesting memoirs, folk lore and mythology, history, historical fiction, relatable science books, health, graphic novels and poetry.

Looking forward to reading with everyone!

Cynthia wrote: "Megan wrote: "Hey Cynthia, you’ve been my prefect at least once before 😊 Can I join Sapphire House?"

Of course! I'll add you to the list."

Thanks!

Hey Cynthia, you’ve been my prefect at least once before 😊 Can I join Sapphire House?

I’m glad someone recommended Howl’s Moving Castle, it’s one of my favorites. I’d also recommend Half A Soul by Olivia Atwood.

I second Moby Dick