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

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

I support that plan. I’m going to help my sister with childcare for Holy Week since she and her husband are pastors.

I read by Nicola Griffith a bit early as I needed a one word title for the maze but I really liked it. I recommend it to King Arthur fans. Mostly, I just wanted it to be longer. It reminded me a lot of Squire’s Tale in a few major ways and wonder if the author ever read the series. Not at all in a bad way but may just be both authors drawing from the same myths.

Added three in March but still at 77%

March NetGalley Challenge

Beginning of month
Books on shelf: 35 (+1 from last month)
Feedback ratio: 77%

Past Publication:
2018-2019:

2020:

2021:

March 2022:
April:
2022:

Alisha wrote: "Playing on easy and my next task is: Read a book shelved (listed on the first page on GR) as 2004 - plurals and spelling acceptable.

I cannot find a book that has 2004 as a top shelf listed on the..."

Here is the list: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

You will just have to check if it is first page

Eldarwen wrote: "Finished #8


Book: Eon by Alison Goodman
Date Read: 25th March
Rating: 4.5 stars

I've had this on my TBR since 2014 but never had a copy of the book. I final..."

I love how books can find different homes and different readers who love them. I gave that book 2 stars back in 2018, as I had no patience for the MC.

Mary wrote: "oh my gosh y'all.... please help me...

Task: Read a book with the phrase "to all intents and purposes" in a book"

I often search GR's quotes to start. See here: https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=%2...

"For all intents and purposes" is the more common phrase to me, but there are "to all" as well. I think The Eyre Affair and Soulless works.

Edited: The Left Hand of Darkness

Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy

Inti Flynn arrives in Scotland with a singular purpose: to reintroduce wolves into the Highlands. Her efforts to rewild the dying landscape, however, are met with fierce opposition from the locals, who fear for their safety and way of life.

When a farmer is mauled to death, Inti decides to bury the evidence, unable to believe her wolves could be responsible. But if the wolves didn't make the kill, is something more sinister at play? And will it happen again? Over the course of a cold year, Inti will take desperate action to save the creatures she loves, and, perhaps, save herself along the way--if she isn't consumed by a wild that was once her refuge.

Once There Were Wolves is a story of violence and tenderness, about the healing power of nature and the rewilding of our spirits in a world that has lost so much.

I second Jenny's, and will not nominate one this month

, and are all read by the author and are short and good.

I can only think of books that are romance or childrens that would work for neighbors.

I'm still looking for a W first name character for my first move, I was hoping to find one in my UNO reads but no luck so far

I finished two trilogies, where I read the second book in 2018 or 2016, respectively. In both cases, it took some effort to remember what had happened and who everyone was. I never really connected with but reading other reviews, it seems I wasn't the only one that found it harder to connect emotionally. I stayed up late finishing and am very happy with how that series ended. Both had good endings, just Holy Sister did a three year flashback thing that was annoying and made a lot of emotional moments happen off screen.

I requested one and read it for March. I totally misunderstood the marketing on it. I am very much not the target audience. was only 3 stars and not enough plot or worldbuilding for me. However, I still have two more in March to go.

Moderators of NBRC wrote: "Lexi wrote: "Moderators of NBRC wrote: "to do questions, Lexi, or just for the chat?"

Questions (if I am going to just chat, I don't generally give warning)."

Very true, but I didn't want to pres..."

Well, that was rude. Esp if you did not also get a holiday.

Moderators of NBRC wrote: "to do questions, Lexi, or just for the chat?"

Questions (if I am going to just chat, I don't generally give warning).

I'm in too

DQ set 3 Book 4 Ch 3 - Book 4 Ch 12

9. This last part started with Kalki uncovering the scam that was pulled on him and on those who believed in his “godliness”.
What do you think of this type of con? Do you think that because it is often based on “culture“ or “religion” it should be given a pass- socially, legally? What do you think of Lakshman rationalizing duping the public (the spiritual crowd) after Kalki starts to feel guilty about defrauding people. How is this different from what Ayya did?
Both Lakshman and Ayya seemed no different to me though I think the author liked the cousin better. This made the book seem unfinished as Kalki use from being used by one family member to just another. He still was a mess and while things were hinted that he gets his own life (teaching and all). We got to see none of this.

10. What do you think about Kalki’s experiences in New York? Can you imagine encountering that city after such a sheltered life?
It came across as sad and a bit of a mess. I found some if the sex concerning on what Kalki would know on safety, STDs, and consent. I think I was supposed to find it liberating and not predatory but there you go.

11. Do you want to hear the band? Do you think Lakshman named the band to honor his old friend?
It was a gimmick and nothing more.

12. Finally, what did you think of the story? Did you end up liking any of the characters? Was the ending satisfying?
I finished it and the ideas were interesting but the skill for the ideas was missing. There was a missed opportunity to look at identity and what it meant to be raised Indian and find out you were white. I did not like the treatment of the birth mother. The book ended too soon without any real character growth or transformation. Also, sudden changes in world view like oh caste is wrong seemed just to be thrown out and not really investigated. I think I wanted it to be more character driven and less shallow.


DQ wrote - Day 1
1 - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
2 -https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
3 - this post

DQ Set 2: Book 2 Ch 4 - Book 4 Ch 2

5. Kalki befriends one of the thirunangaigal, and this friendship offers another insight into Ayya's views into how he expects Kalki to conform to his views rather than the myths and stories of Rama's previous incarnations. Why do you think Ayya made the decision to follow this claim of Kalki as an incarnation, given that he doesn't actually believe many of the stories?
I think the authors ideas out distanced skill here and in other places. The idea of how Hinduism has shifted towards more conversative nationally could have made a larger role. Hindu nationalism and persecution of Christians and Muslims in India is an increasing issue. (I also found it odd that Kalki called Christianity a violent religion (which I will not defend as it has been used that way many times) but the current religious violence in India was overlooked.) Ayya just wanted money and found this the easiest way to make it. Many other cults have taken part of a larger story and molded it to their own purpose so that isn’t surprising.

6. Following Lexi's comment about the small scale location, this section sees an explosion of new viewpoints in Kalki's life, that offer him insights into the world. Do you have a favourite and why? Is this approach successful in developing our understanding of Kalki, Ayya and Amma?
Not as much to me. As I mentioned I feel like people stood into for ideas and not necessarily as people. Still, I felt the India section was stronger than the NY section, and the part outside the ashram in India just felt dismissive.

7. Lots of endings in this section, with Roopa commenting that everyone always leaves Kalki, including, it transpires, his birth mother. He finally gets the courage? outrage? money? to leave. Do you think he would have left earlier (with Roopa) if he'd been able to get his hands on some money?

He is kind of passive and just goes along with what everyone says. He has been brainwashed by family so no blame but not sure if he would have left or not with money. His cousin seems to have provided the necessary familiarity for him to move to a new place. I didn’t really like how this book delt with the birth mother and the idea of adoption but that is delt with more in the next section.

8. Amma... I've struggled the most with her character, with so many questions about her life choices! What do you think of her? Which character(s) do you struggle with understanding?
Same, it is hard to say why she did what she did and she was also clearly clinically depressed. Rat poison is a really nasty way to go. (I saw a cat who ingested it once).

Day 1 DQs - Book 1 Ch 1 - Book 2 Ch 3

1. What drew you to reading this book? Did you have expectations going in as to what the book is about?
I nominated this, so I was disappointed. I have spent quite a bit of time in Tamil Nadu, so I look for books there and I was interested in the exploration of religion.

2. Do you think the parents actually believe or are using this as a money-making scheme? Somewhere in between?
I kind of wanted it to be more nuanced in that potentially the parents did believe but I think from the medicine and what else we learn that they did that it was pretty clear that this was a scheme.

3. Have you read The Awakening? Why do you think that the author chose this book specifically to continue Kalki’s own awakening? What role do you expect Sita to continue playing?
I hated reading it in high school. Large amounts of the book are in French. It seemed like a very odd choice to give to a 2 year old and the one affair thing parallels it, but I think that many books rely too much on classics name dropping when newer books could be used.

4. What do you think it says about Kalki’s childhood that the location is relatively non-specific and very small scale for this first part?
I wanted a stronger sense of place. The outskirts of Tamil Nadu as a phrase threw me. Tamil Nadu is a large state, not a city. Still, it makes sense that Kalki could be controlled much better when he had no access to the outside world.

Jenny wrote: "What I did find interesting was the "Land Acknowledgements" at the end, which is the first time I've seen that. I get the principle, but I'm not sure actually what value it has?

I did not read the..."

I had several issues with the book which I will get to soon as I have time. However, here is a quick opinion piece on the issue as a complicated gesture: https://globalnews.ca/news/4896904/on...