Lexi’s Comments (group member since Jul 27, 2016)

Lexi’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

I just wanted to let everyone know that the last BOM for Wheel is the first one in December and the book that won is The Reformatory if you need to find a copy or get in line at your library.

I'm sorry. I was that was in October and listened to all six books of the Burn for Me series for the same reason.

Hey everyone, we are very close to finishing the color mini challange.
For the next round, can people prioritize the color mini over the genre mini so we can get a new set. Thank you

Great job, everyone

We moved up from 8th to 5th after Round 2.

I've been working through the Tuyo series this year and read two last round, which I greatly enjoyed. There are wonderful, unrreated fantasy, but do not listen to the audio. It is awful.
I want to read The Inheritance so I put a hold from the library if we need a short I at the end of the round.

Anyone who still has a book on the spreadsheet, please let us know if you won't get it done by the deadline tomorrow in just under 19.5 hours. We only have an hour after the deadline to get the spreadsheet updated.

Cathy, will you get your book done? You are the last one for the holiday mini, which ends tomorrow.

Cat wrote: "I didn't include the Author Afterword content in my questions, (whilst my last question nods to that, it was a theme I wanted to touch on anyway), but for those who had & read the Afterword - was t..."

I am really glad you mentioned the afterword. It was especially timely considering the author dated the note in Sept last year. I have been noticing the older fantasy's more recently that are entirely "king fixes everything" and really anti-representative govement, such as The Farthest Shore. The Hands of the Emperor addresses this but it is almost more a treaty on utopian fantasy government than plot at times. I will come back if I think of more.

I have the same concern since I’m supposed to fly to a conference Sunday night and I present Monday morning. I will just have to wait and see.

Hi all, as we finish this round, just a reminder that we can only have one partial spell-it-out at the end of the round. We could really use some I, O and U books to finish out the last few spellings.

DQs Day 5: Chapter 40 - 47

20. This section had several important questions. Malo speaks about being naukari and what she expects will happen when the empire leaves. The previous section has the Kardas mention that it is not the Empire’s job “to wade into the affairs of other cultures and scold them into decency.” Who do you think is in the right in this discussion? Also, do you think the author is also making a commentary on real world events and if so, what?

21. Thelenai created Pyktis in many ways. In sort of Dr. Frankenstein and monster parallel. Who do you feel at this point in the story is more to blame and if you have read further or a re-read, did the end of the book change your opinion? Please use spoilers if you are a re-read or read ahead.

22. On a lighter note, fantasy books, especially if set in a more pre-Industrial age setting, often have an awe of the sea moment as Din does on the boat. Have you even felt overwhelmed by something in nature, such as the sea, but also a mountain or other natural feature? Do you think this is less common in books with more modern technology and why if you agree or disagree?

23. The augers are bothered by not being able to predict the outcome. Why do you think they could not predict this, and do you think this is a limit of their power?

24. There is a lot of imagery in this section of especially of the shroud itself. Do you picture it like any real building or image from a movie or book?

Useless Bonus: I am likely the only one who thought the augers being described as sheep that tap made me think of Shaun the Sheep, so here is a river dancing Shaun the Sheep clip for your amusement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGdod...

DQs Day 3 Ch 21-29

10. How do you feel about Din and Ana’s relationship? Din is her assistant, do you see them that way or more as equals? Do you feel like their relationship changed at all up to this point of the book?
I enjoyed them and their relationship. There is a really nice give and take between them and while Ana is the superior, she also clearly relies on and cares for Din. I appreciate how it grows across the series so far.


11. Din has asked Ana why she hasn’t disclosed her augmentation, why do you think that is? What augmentation would you want if you were investigating this crime?
This is a re-read for me but I think Din’s memory is likely especially important for investigations and I already am sensitive to smells so I absolutely don’t want an improved sense of smell.

12. How do you feel about the explanation of why the empire is trying to stabilize the marrow? Do you believe the motive started for the benefits of the people or was it always just political?
I think this book is more about each person than the empire concept and the goal is how to make all the pieces work justly even with the parts. The Empire is Us after all.

13. We have a suspect! Ana also concludes that he could have taken everyone out already and is confused as to why he hasn’t yet, why do you think he has waited?
This is a re-read for me.


14. So far in my reading I have thought there have been several details that have reminded me of other novels (especially Sci-Fi). For example, the heavy emphasis on augmentations reminds me of The Murderbot Diaries. Where there any elements that made you think of other works, novels or otherwise?
This is much more fantasy and some body modifications, so it has never reminded me of Murderbot. I, however, can see the Area X for weird modifications and What Moves the Dead for fun with fungi (even though this was fish bones and plants) and Hollow Places for weird body modifications and creepy trees.

Judith wrote: "Lisa, keep an eye on your book cap you are close to maxing out for Round 2"

Lisa, you have read some short books so we can also look at switching a few out for longer page numbers if you plan to read more than one book between now and Saturday.

Laura..devouring books like crumpets wrote: "Lexi wrote: "Yes, just the one since the challenge started so:
Masquerade can be read until Nov 16
A Drop of Corruption can be read until Dec 2"

the book of doors?"

Started before the challenge started so not included for points

Alysa wrote: "Lexi wrote: "I have read Riverside but it didn’t remind me of that but interesting reference from Alysa.

I was thinking specifically of how the “Old Town” is presented here, like the buildings whe..."

Yes, I can see that. All the literary and real-world swamps. I think of the giant turtles as giant Alligator snapping turtles and that makes me happy.

bookishworldreview wrote: "This book looks amazing!!! Is it in a series?"

This is the second in a series. The first is really good and is The Tainted Cup.

Qs Day 2, Ch 11-20

I will try but every one of these questions references guessing which doesn’t work as a re-read.

6. After establishing the hypothesis that it was not Sujedo, but an imposter, Din questions Ana on the how. What are your ideas on how this imposter actually proved his Treasury credentials without living blood?
I did not guess accurately the first time by this point in the book but did later.

7. The owner of the Apoth Box also began tapping on his body/clothing… as the chapters progress, it is clear that this is an important detail, but might it also be a red herring? Any thoughts or ideas?
Yes, clearly important and re-read.

8. More questioning of Ana’s alterations has begun! If you read the previous novel, did you make any assumptions to that end? And do you have any new ideas?
In the first book, she indicated some of her issues with overstimulation and patterns were not a modification but that she was born that way. I think there is a difference between being born something different and being modified. Anyway, this is a re-read.

9. The King of Yarrow, and those in his employ, seem very… corrupt. Considering the book's title, do you think the corruption is relevant to this murder, or a side plot?
Yes, clearly corruption is a major theme for this series after the first book so yes, all the physical and moral corruption and literal falling down buildings.

Yes, just the one since the challenge started so:
Masquerade can be read until Nov 16
A Drop of Corruption can be read until Dec 2

Laura..devouring books like crumpets wrote: "Also (I apolagize profusely for my lack of Know......) But the book of the month - can i read at any point during november?"

A BOM can be read any time during the challange as long as it has not been read during the last 6 months. This allows people to read it ahead of time if it gets voted a BOM later. However, questions must be answered and the book finished within a month of the starting date.

Every book is worth it for the page points if it works for a letter in DJIBOUTI. No book can be used that does not work for a letter. If you go over you book cap, we can choose to remove your smaller books, but if you don't, then we can use all books and appreciate them.

Any character can be used as long as it has plot importance and speaks. It can't be Great Aunt Ursula who never shows up on page and just gets mentioned. It also can't be the pet dog.

1 - Chapters 1 -10

1. As The Tainted Cup was a recent BOM, how did you like it? Are you here for the book, or just for the BOM points? 😉
If you liked it, what are you hoping to see or learn more about in A Drop of Corruption?

This time I am just here for the BOM points as I read this just over 6 months ago and I would not have read it so close to the first time. However, I really like this series. The first is my favorite but this one is also very strong. This is a re-read so I will ignore all questions that ask to guess.

2. The mystery so far feels like a “locked-room” kind. Do you usually enjoy that type of mystery, or do you prefer others?

I like locked room mysteries as they often have some fun solutions that are very creative. I did guess the magnet on this one when I first read it. I like mysteries that have neat endings. I am less interested in mysteries that become court room dramas or unsolved.

3. Din really got hit with some serious money problems early on. Do you think he’ll actually deal with them this book, or are they the kind of thing that’ll keep haunting him in the next one?

This is a re-read for me.

4. The political intrigue is building nicely — Yarrow seems half in, half out of the Empire, and we’re starting to see how people on both sides of the law feel about that. Do you think the King might actually be in cahoots with the smugglers somehow?

This is a re-read for me.

5. When you read the description of Yarrow, did it remind you of any real place? If so, which one and why?

Swamps and things that will eat you/dead bodies always makes me think of Louisiana, though to be fair my current state of Georgia, also has swamps and gators. I have read Riverside but it didn’t remind me of that but interesting reference from Alysa.