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

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

Hi again, here is the BOM Information.

The first one starts Oct 16th with Masquerade - Discussion is here. It is my nomination so we get DQs. I hope it is a good book.

For November BOMs, polls close October 7 at midnight PST: Both Polls are Here

Hi all, I'm Lexi, and I know most of you all from other challenges. I have co-captained before with Judith and look forward to co-captaining with Catherine for this Wheel.

Please feel free to ask any question now and throughout. Any one have any last minute books you are trying to finish before Wheel? I have a poetry book I want to read.

Also, mine

Planning for Mini 7:

The Book of Doors - I plan to read this one
The Diviners
Six of Crows
Sorcery of Thorns - Vi

Ladder #1 (possibility but I would need help if anyone has a book they want to read on the list)
1. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue
2. Etiquette & Espionage - I'll read this one
3. Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries
4. Sorcery of Thorns
5. Another S to S: Six of Crows, Sharp Objects or Semiosis
6. Sabriel

Ladder #2 (anyone have ideas)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

We also need series numbered 1 to 10. We can have gaps but especially for the lower number, it will be easier to plan for at least 1-8 and then two higher numbers unless someone is reading a series currently.

Book of the Month Information
Writing a day's worth of discussion questions = 40 points
Participating in a current BOM (participating in discussion) = 20 points.

October:
Oct 16 - Masquerade - Discussion is here

Nov
Poll closes October 7 at midnight PST: Both Polls Here

Still failing. Not sure I’m going to catch up this year.

And a new holiday monster:

Ravana
500 to 650
Page number is a multiple of 10
Set in India, Sri Lanka or an island in the Indian ocean
title starts with a letter in SHIVA
The word "satellite(s)" in text

I had trouble deciding but went with one of my all time favorites from Japan.

Shipwrecks by Akira Yoshimura

Isaku is a nine-year-old boy living in a remote, desperately poor fishing village on the coast of Japan. His people catch barely enough fish to live on, and so must distill salt to sell to neighboring villages. But this industry serves another, more sinister purpose: the fires of the salt cauldrons lure passing ships toward the shore and onto rocky shoals. When a ship runs aground, the villagers slaughter the crew and loot the cargo for rice, wine, and rich delicacies. One day a ship founders on the rocks. But Isaku learns that its cargo is far deadlier than could ever be imagined. Shipwrecks, the first novel by the great Japanese writer Yoshimura to be translated into English, is a stunningly powerful, Gothic tale of fate and retribution.

My new nominate until it wins or I loose interest one:


Heartwood by Amity Gaige

Heartwood takes you on a journey as a search and rescue team race against time when an experienced hiker mysteriously disappears on the Appalachian Trail in Maine.

In the heart of the Maine woods, an experienced Appalachian Trail hiker goes missing. She is forty-two-year-old Valerie Gillis, who has vanished 200 miles from her final destination. Alone in the wilderness, Valerie pours her thoughts into fractured, poetic letters to her mother as she battles the elements and struggles to keep hoping.

At the heart of the investigation is Beverly, the determined Maine State Game Warden tasked with finding Valerie, who leads the search on the ground. Meanwhile, Lena, a seventy-six-year-old birdwatcher in a Connecticut retirement community, becomes an unexpected armchair detective. Roving between these compelling narratives, a puzzle emerges, intensifying the frantic search, as Valerie’s disappearance may not be accidental.

My nomination, yay. I hope it is a good book.

I think that was my issue as I tried to read it and keep up with the days for BOM. I may come back to it soon and just take it slowly.

I'm sorry you all, but I am putting this one on hold for now. I just cannot focus this week on this level of writing. I am purely in the fluffy books re-read category. Life is just too complicated.

I'll be back to answer the new questions but here is our new thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I can request a thread after work today. All three of us would count as the higher level buddy read and you only need four comments each.

Catherine, since I think you also play over in Hooked on Books. Do you have any interest in adding an informal buddy read over there?It is a big enough book to be worth quite a bit of points in the year long solo challenge.

DQs Part 2 - Chap 14 - 27

4. I enjoyed the part in Madras, as I have been there, as I stayed at a medical school in Tamil Nadu for 3 months during my PhD. If you are less familiar with this or any part of India, have you looked up anything online? In general, do you look thing up when reading if you are unfamiliar with food, clothes, places etc?

5. We then return to the first charecter and go back in time. Do you like the switching between characters? Is there one story you prefer so far and why?

6. There is a lot of discussion of the interactions of nationality (Indian v British), caste and religion in the book so far. Are there any thoughts that have really stuck with you so far in the book?

7. Death and the presence of water continues in this next section. What do you think about the family's "condition" and how it effects the children, as we see more variations between generations?

Part 1 - Chap 1-13
1. This book is written in 3rd person. Does that make it harder to read or is that your preference?
A lot of what I read is in third person if not most and I find it easier to follow than first a lot of the time. Second is becoming more popular and is very hard if not done well.

2. This is a more religious type read. Mentioning the Bible, conversing with the Lord, and praying, which seems to be an important part of the book. Are you surprised they have not mentioned so in the book summary. Do you find this to makes the book more powerful?
I agree that it works with the title. Also, I knew it was set in Kerala, India which has a large number of Christians, so that wasn't a surprise to me. I did my PhD field work in Tamil Nadu, right next door so I am familiar with the area.

3. The book is narrated by the Author, are you reading by audio or with your eyes? If audio, do you feel the author reading his book makes it more authentic?
I am reading it but will add the audio in as I drive to work this week and look forward to the author being the narrator. That usually means accents and names are done correctly, which is very helpful when I read it as well to get names right.

So, today did not go as planned and I am still just done with the first section. I am very sorry but real life does that sometimes and I will be caught up tomorrow. At least we have a rest day. Sorry, again

I thought I was today. I’m so sorry. I lost a day somewhere and I made the schedule. I’ll get them up shortly but feel free to post yours too.