Toi’s Comments (group member since Mar 11, 2017)

Toi’s comments from the The Insecure Writer's Support Group Book Club group.

I finished this one and really enjoyed it but haven’t posted my review yet. Hope to do that this weekend and update it here when I do.

1. I really like Computer Junkie because it relates to events I’m experienced in my life. It’s one of those situations where you laugh because it’s so true.

2. The military theme. The author shared with me that her husband is from a four-generation military family serving in WWI, WWII, Vietnam, and their son with six deployments in the Mid-East Conflicts. I think the whole collection had a theme of “relationship dynamic.”

3. Yes, to some degree. Some couples have better communication than others, even those with great communication can have a misunderstanding from time to time. This story is funny because it’s more than a misunderstanding, but no one gets hurt.

I also the answer the bonus question over at my blog, for anyone interested.

Greetings book clubbers.

Please provide your answers to as many or as few of the questions as you’d like in the comments below. Feel free to ask more questions if you’d like.

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1. The author’s favorite short story is The Wedding because of the ending. The divorced heroine has actually engineered retribution for her unfaithful husband. What is your favorite story in the collection?

2. In Winging It and Holiday Bonding what is the common connection/theme? Did you notice any other shared themes between the stories?

3. For laughs, Bald Revelations tickles the funny bone? Why? Do you think there’s often miscommunication between a person and his/her partner despite their close and loving relationship?

* A 4th bonus question was submitted for anyone interested. Please visit Toi’s blog to add your two cents: https://wp.me/p4RYxr-2Ow - goes live at 6:00 am EST.
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Thank you, Judy Ann Davis, for inspiring these wonderful questions.

Feel free to also share your reviews and or thoughts on the book in your comments.

I haven’t finished the book yet, but I’m very close. I like it so far.

1. I really like GEO. No spoilers here, but even when he’s not so cute, he’s still a really cool support character.

2. I’m not sure about this question. I’m having trouble deciding if they are human-sized beings or bug-sized beings. If they are bug-size, I’d visit any of these places, otherwise, I’m out.

3. So far, this book brings me back to my childhood- nostalgia. It’s like reading Peter Pan for the first time or watching Neverending Story for the first time. It’s easy to enjoy the story without thinking too much about any flaws that might exist.

Greetings book clubbers.

Please provide your answers to as many or as few of the questions as you’d like in the comments below. Feel free to ask more questions if you’d like.

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1. Which character was your favorite? Least favorite? Why?
2. Are there any places from the book you’d like to visit?
3. What feelings or emotions does this book evoke for you?
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Thank you, Yvette Carol, for inspiring these wonderful questions.

Feel free to also share your reviews and or thoughts on the book in your comments.

Thank you so much for joining the discussion. Yeah, I do love to travel but after a while I need to come back and nest. Having pets does make travel a little more difficult. I think when my Margie passes, it will be a while before we get another pet.

Finally got my review posted: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Thank you so much for joining the discussion. Are there more travel memoirs in your future?

Thank you for joining the discussion and sharing your review. I to got an update of the book after I started reading this version so I wanted to do a comparison between the two. Can’t wait to see what the changes are.

Thank you so much for joining discussion and for sharing your review. I’m glad you enjoyed the book I did as well.

Thank you so much for joining the discussion. I too like to hear stories about other people’s travels. Thank you for sharing your customs story. I’ve heard good ones and bad ones and that sounds pretty bad. I couldn’t imagine someone trying to keep me from my husband. I’ve done some traveling with my doggy but just on land, never tried to take her on a plane or a boat.

I’m going off the grid for a few days, so my review will come later.

1. While reading her story did make me feel empowered to travel more than I ever thought possible, I know the nomad lifestyle isn’t for me. Still, it doesn’t sound as bad as “we Americans” make it out to be. I definitely think it’s a viable lifestyle for those whom it truly makes happy. You just have to make sure you stay on top of your citizenship requirements and are realistic about what you can and cannot do.

2. My one and only dealing with customs went well, but I saw others not going so well. A woman was in tears because the name on her birth certificate didn’t match the maiden name on her marriage certificate application. She had forgotten to include the paperwork that showed her name had been changed when her stepfather adopted her at a young age. I believe she eventually got out of customs but didn’t understand why the agents had to be so mean to her. They could have worked with her calmly to get the matter cleared up without bringing her to tears with the threat of keeping her there until a lawyer came for her. If I hadn’t had all my paperwork, that could have been me. I too was adopted at a young age and had a name change that I often forget about. Yes, I wholeheartedly believe customs agents like to torture travelers depending on what side of the bed they woke up on that day. I am so grateful that they are there to help keep terrorists and other criminals from moving freely around the world, I just wish they didn’t treat everyone like a criminal until proven innocent. I assume all custom agencies are terrifying but admit that could just be because I’m black and don’t always trust authority figures to treat me fairly.

3. Yes, if you really love your pets, like children, you will do what you can to keep your family happy and healthy even when traveling. While I wouldn’t want to be on a boat with my dog, if boating was important to me, I’d do what I could to share that experience with her. One reason my husband and I haven’t traveled as much as we’d like is because of our dog. I don’t like boarding her and it's difficult finding pet-friendly lodging. However, when I go off the grid for the next couple of days, I’m so happy my Margie will be coming with us to a cabin in the woods.

Greetings book clubbers.

Please provide your answers to as many or as few of the questions as you’d like in the comments below. Feel free to ask more questions if you’d like.

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1. Liesbet and (whoever she’s traveling with at the time) are smart with their money. They work and save up as needed and make frugal purchases. While she does not travel in high luxury, she does travel a lot and thoroughly enjoys herself as a full-time nomad, never settling down in one spot. Could you or would you ever consider the nomad lifestyle (whether by land, sea, or both)?

2. Liesbet’s dealing with customs agents was some of the most heartbreaking text to process even in comparison to the deaths she had to deal with. Have you had any terrifying encounters with customs before? Do you think customs agents like to torture travelers? Do you think just U.S. customs is a problem or all custom agencies?

3. Liesbet reveals some eye-opening insights into the challenges of traveling with pets, especially on a boat. Do you think the sacrifices made to accommodate the dogs were worth it? Do you have any pet travel struggles or triumphs to share?
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Feel free to also share your reviews and or thoughts on the book in your comments.

I’m going off the grid for a few days, so my review will come later.

1. I feel sympathy for Abelli. The system, back then, seemed to invite animosity, and gave wealthy men no responsibility for impregnating as many women as they chose because they only had to care for the children born from their wives. While I don’t agree with his “killing spree” it seems fitting for the times. If you wanted something back then, you had to kill for it. I think the only way this could have turned out differently is if their father had made Abelli feel like part of the family and left him something, even if he couldn’t leave him everything. And because this didn’t really exist back then, I think both Abelli and Vipuinin could have benefited from some counseling.

2. I was put off a bit by the fact that his love interest only appears in the story at almost the halfway point of the book. Not a huge romance fan, still, I was expecting to see her a lot sooner. However, I know there is an update on this book that introduces her a lot sooner. Once I’ve completed this version, I will read the update and share my comparison here.
Outside of that, I didn’t see her as a rebel exactly, just not a carbon copy of the other women of her time. That alone could have been enough to make her special to Vipunin. And despite his professed hate of the vampire queen, I think he secretly envied her power and strength as well as resented her for being the reason he was so strong. Maybe that also had something to do with the appeal of Ciassia, not entirely sure.

3. I guess pride and procrastination were his flaws. He was so focused on trying to destroy the vampires that he never tried to see if there were any other options, plus, with his brother he kept acting like he had all the time in the world. If he wasn’t going to try to make things right with Abelli, expecting him to simply accept his plight in life was foolish. If someone is trying to kill you and you don’t have any better ideas for dealing with them, you should eliminate them as soon as possible, whether that be death or imprisonment.

Greetings book clubbers.

Please provide your answers to as many or as few of the questions as you’d like in the comments below. Feel free to ask more questions if you’d like.

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1. During Renaissance times and beyond, property was inherited by the legitimate firstborn. In Betrayed, this is Vipunin. His half-brother Abelli (ten years older) is bitter because the vast property and titles he craves are to go to Vipunin. His response is to try to kill Vipunin so everything becomes his. Do you feel sympathetic toward Abelli? Do you understand his motivations in embarking on a killing spree? Was there another response Abelli could have had?

2. During the Renaissance, upper class women were constrained by the expectation that they were to be a helpmeet to their husbands; a life outside of the home was not a consideration. Vipunin's love interest, Ciassia, falls outside the mold. Why do you think Vipunin so admires her independent spirit and has no desire to constrain her?

3. What was Vipunin's fatal flaw? Is it a bad thing to want to mend your family? Or does there come a time when evil must be dealt with, even in a family member?
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Thank you, Denise Covey, for inspiring these wonderful questions.

Feel free to also share your reviews and or thoughts on the book in your comments.

Pat wrote: "Hello Juneta,

I am glad you like the story. When I wrote it, I wasn't thinking about tropes. Please don't laugh, but I learned about tropes three years ago in a writing class. This story has been ..."

Thank you so much for stopping by the discussion and sharing your insights. It's so nice to see I featured author here.

Juneta wrote: "I absolutely loved this very romantic story. That connection that is so rare between two people..."

I'm glad to know you enjoyed the book. Thanks for sharing your response to the questions.

Juneta wrote: "I'm actually still reading this one but will come back when done."

Thanks for stopping in. I look forward to your thoughts.

My review is coming soon. I will add an update at that time.

1. I would say middle-grade horror? Is that a common genre, not sure, but that’s what I got. Also, maybe, middle-grade dark comedy. It’s more coming-of-age than teen angst, so that’s why I don’t feel it’s YA.

2. Yes, I would like to see more of these characters, which is why I pre-ordered the next book. I didn’t really dislike any of the characters. I even thought the bully was a great bully.

3. I think this story could have been adapted to fit any time period, but the chosen time was perfect for this scenario. It’s that time- that slow emersion of geek culture becoming mainstream when only the kids really got it. I thoroughly enjoyed all the 90s references, from clothing, to TV shows, video games, to song lyrics. Can’t wait to see what pops into the next book.

Greetings book clubbers.

Please provide your answers to as many or as few of the questions as you’d like in the comments below. Feel free to ask more questions if you’d like.
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1. What genre would you say this book falls under? Horror? Sci-fi? Young adult? Comedy? Mystery? Something else entirely?

2. Which character(s) was/were your favourite and would you like to see more of them?

3. How important was the time period to the story? Do you think it was portrayed accurately?

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Thank you, C.D. Gallant-King, for inspiring these wonderful questions.

Feel free to also share your reviews and or thoughts on the book in your comments.

My review is coming soon. I will add an update at that time.

1. Because I knew it was a short story going in, I thought the ending suited it well. Though there could be, and I believe there is, more to this story. I believe the author has written more about these characters on her blog.

2. I think this is an unconventional twist on a very traditional romance trope- the good girl and the bad boy. In this case, the good girl isn’t a young virginal woman of European descent but a mature black woman with life experience. The bad boy is more of the classic anti-hero type- a dangerous mature man who does “bad” things because he has too, not a true bad boy. At least, that’s what I got as someone who doesn’t read a lot of romance.

3. I see a little bit of all three of these in the Alesssio character but lean more toward possessive. Perhaps that’s part of the trope, or perhaps I’m just really sensitive to the word choices used and am leery of possessive men.