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

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

DQs Day 3
10. Beth's house has seemed important from the beginning of the story and there have been a lot of descriptions of the "Frankenstein ugly" house. During one of Shea's interviews Beth told her to go upstairs and see her childhood bedroom and then she said, "Not all of the answers you want so desperately are going to come from me. Some of them are going to come from this house." What do you think Shea learned from the house when she perused Beth's room?

I have finished reading by now so I will answer as I read which a lot about the dysfunctional relationships in the past.

11. We now have a better insight into the note that was left at the murder scene that said, in part, Am I bitter or am I sweet? In this section we got a lot of details about how this "bitter/sweet" was played out in the house with Mariana and the two girls. Lily also told Beth that everything was her fault and she could have stopped it. What do you think the note will reveal about the murderer and how do you think Beth could've stopped it or could she have?

I didn’t like the entire foster care angle leads to serial killer. I always figured she was a real person and then the ghost because this author likes ghosts.

12. Julian's treatment of Lily is rather atrocious, especially considering how young she is when she first visits them. Why do you think he hates her so much and who do you suspect Lily's father is? (I have only read through chapter 29 for my questions, so I don't even know if that is revealed. Just curious what others are thinking about the situation.)

I have finished the book. It was never that important but did tell more about the mother.

13. Lily told Beth she wanted a lot of things, including the house. Beth told Lily she hated the house to which Lily said, "That's because you don't understand it...It's an abomination that shouldn't exist...It's exactly like me." What do you think she meant by this?
The house is unhappy and doesn’t really belong as well. It is divided between the orginal form and renovations.

14. Lily appears to have more power in the relationship between her and Beth, but based on Beth's current day ability to manipulate others, do you think Lily really is the more powerful one in their relationship? Why or why not?

I think Lily is manipulative and cares less which gives her more power but Beth seemed even at this point like the kind of person who gets the final word.

Lory, could you please add all 4 of your books to your TT shelf (maybe even a 5th book) and add a read date to The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax. Thank you

Woman of Light by Kali Fajardo-Anstine

A dazzling epic of betrayal, love, and fate that spans five generations of an Indigenous Chicano family in the American West, from the author of the National Book Award Finalist Sabrina & Corina

"There is one every generation--a seer who keeps the stories."

Luz "Little Light" Lopez, a tea leaf reader and laundress, is left to fend for herself after her older brother, Diego, a snake charmer and factory worker, is run out of town by a violent white mob. As Luz navigates 1930's Denver on her own, she begins to have visions that transport her to her Indigenous homeland in the nearby Lost Territory. Luz recollects her ancestors' origins, how her family flourished and how they were threatened. She bears witness to the sinister forces that have devastated her people and their homelands for generations. In the end, it is up to Luz to save her family stories from disappearing into oblivion.

Written in Kali Fajardo-Anstine's singular voice, the wildly entertaining and complex lives of the Lopez family fill the pages of this multigenerational western saga. Woman of Light is a transfixing novel about survival, family secrets, and love, filled with an unforgettable cast of characters, all of whom are just as special, memorable, and complicated as our beloved heroine, Luz.

The Boy from the Mish by Gary Lonesborough
AKA

Ready When You Are

A remarkable YA love story between two Aboriginal boys -- one who doesn’t want to accept he’s gay, and the boy who comes to live in his house who makes him realize who he is.

It's a hot summer, and life's going all right for Jackson and his family on the Mish. It's almost Christmas, school's out, and he's hanging with his mates, teasing the visiting tourists, avoiding the racist boys in town. Just like every year, Jackson's Aunty and annoying little cousins visit from the city -- but this time a mysterious boy with a troubled past comes with them. As their friendship evolves, Jackson must confront the changing shapes of his relationships with his friends, family and community. And he must face his darkest secret -- a secret he thought he'd locked away for good.

Thoughts for Adult books include:

I still really liked it as a book but good point. Thank you

Judith wrote: "Lexi wrote: "Book nominations are also open if we have ideas. The theme is Friendship with the note that August 9 is International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples so our theme for August will..."

I think you should go for it now before someone else does

Book nominations are also open if we have ideas. The theme is Friendship with the note that August 9 is International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples so our theme for August will be FRIENDSHIP. You aren't required to nominate a book by or about Indigenous people, but we'd love it if there are some nominations in that bracket too!

I will nominate one from an Indigenous author.


Link for Adult (counts for TT): https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Link for theme (NOT TT): https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Volunteering for July BOMs are up:

I volunteered and am the only one so far from our team. We can have 5 more volunteers for each book if you plan to read the book and have not read it in the last 6 months.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...


https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Volunteering for DQs for Team Pandora

Volunteering for DQs for Team Pandora

July BOMs

Adult: Ariadne
DQs Starts July 2: TBA

Theme: Sea - Malibu Rising
DQs Starts June 16: TBA

No links yet but if people want to find copies if you want to join

Gunit Kaur wrote: "Laila Jane wrote: "Maritza wrote: "I really liked The Travelling Cat Chronicles. I was an unexpected read for me. No stinkers so far."

I really enjoyed it too! It's something I wou..."

You should read Shipwrecks. It is my favorite Japanese book but do NOT read the summary first. It spoils the plot. I also like Kitchen and After Dark.

Hi everyone, I have not had a lot of time to read as I worked all weekend and had a 14 hour day yesterday. I am going to go add the links for July's BOM next (we came in 3rd on both so we will need lots of volunteers to get a set of DQs).

DQs Day 2: Chap 12-19

5. Shea is trying to explain the taps being turned on and the cupboards being opened by themselves through telekinesis. If you had experienced what she did, do you think you would have tried to explain things logically or do you think you would have believed it was ghosts and left it at that?
Logically as well. I would go with old houses and bad fixtures first.

6. After getting a cat, Shea calls on Michael to ask for advice on how to care for it, through the conversation she thinks about wanting to meet him. Do you think they will end up together or perhaps just remain as friends? Could Michael be interested as well?
I think they are already friends of a sort, and a shared interest could lead to romance. Also, she pays him as an expert and not an employee so no real power dynamic issue in that direction.

7. Mr. Greer’s former secretary tells Shea Mrs. Greer wasn’t competent and that she was "sent away somewhere when she was eighteen". Do you think she was crazy or do you have any other theories?
I think that is too straightforward but since I have read ahead, I will say that I did not guess what was going on.

8. While listening to the recording of Beth’s interview Shea hears a voice in the background whispering “I am still here” and poor Winston gets spooked. Did you find this scary? Do you think cats/animals have a feel for the supernatural? If it were you, would you come back to the house after hearing that?
The book no. In real life, maybe or I’d think someone was messing with me and not go back. My cat liked to stare at the ceiling at a 100 year old house I lived in but I think it was the water pipes but I used to call it watching the ghosts. There were also rats in the walls so most odd noise could be explained by that.

9. Finally, in order to get in the mood for more scary stuff. Have you or someone you know have any scary/ghostly experiences you might like to share?
I lived in a place that believed ghosts inhabited really big trees and you had to give the trees food to please the ghosts. The alternative was to cut the tree down before it got too big.

Gunit Kaur wrote: "Lexi wrote: "Does anyone have any books they are planning on reading for Pride in June? I am waiting from the library for A Lady for a Duke and am reading "

I have not but I have read Pet and Freshwater by the same author and plan on reading The Death of Vivek Oji sometime when I need a shorter book than for TTs.

Does anyone have any books they are planning on reading for Pride in June? I am waiting from the library for A Lady for a Duke and am reading The Hourglass Throne now.
Anyone have any good recommendations esp. for longer books. I always take ace (asexual) recommendations and will offer Elatsoe as one of my all-time favorites (Ace MC and author).

There are 4 people who already volunteered for DQs for if two more people would like to volunteer. Having six people maximizes our chance of getting a set of questions.
Here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Books starts June 8th

Also poll for July
Vote here: Poll open until June 5
Link: https://www.goodreads.com/poll/list/3...

Also another back up for team Pandora.

Truitt_T wrote: "Lexi wrote: "Awww. I almost won. The weather here today is 42 C and dust and I just counted over 500 snails. Glad I got some reading done before this."

Happy snail hunting, Lexi! The book I just f..."

That seems interesting. I don't have energy for non-fiction right now but I will look into it when I get back to the US. (Also, very, very safe here just very hot and dusty. The people we work with are wonderful).