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

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

Cat wrote: "Lexi wrote: "Not reading the next one in the series..."

Not even if it is a Yellow 5 or 7 for UNO? ;-P"

I don't think the next two have yellow covers so I'm safe

#2 for the year:

In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker - 3 stars

I liked the start but the rest was more than a bit of a mess. Time travel book that just wants to be a historical romance but ends in tragedy that you don't care about anymore b/c all the characters are naive or cads. Not reading the next one in the series.

I got three done in Jan and up to 76% so progress

Feb NetGalley Challenge

Beginning of month
Books on shelf: 36
Feedback ratio: 76%

Past Publication:
2018-2019:

2020:

2021:


Upcoming:
Feb:
2022:

Review #3 and another only 3 stars.

It really failed at worldbuilding and making any sense in such a way that frustrated me. I almost gave it 2 stars.

Sammy wrote: "Lexi wrote: "Sammy wrote: "Eldarwen wrote: "Not seen many Austen movies, come to think of it.. hm."

Please tell me you've seen

"

Sammy, I needed you earlier on Team Pemberley. I suggested people..."

Sammy, thank you, and I agree with you on Darcy, but I wanted to give people options. Some of them were not even born in 1995.

Sammy wrote: "Eldarwen wrote: "Not seen many Austen movies, come to think of it.. hm."

Please tell me you've seen

"

Sammy, I needed you earlier on Team Pemberley. I suggested people could post their favorite Darcy, and no one took me up on it.

I'm switching mine:

Blue-Skinned Gods by S.J. Sindu

From the award-winning author of Marriage of a Thousand Lies comes a brilliantly written, globe-spanning novel about identity, faith, family, and sexuality.

In Tamil Nadu, India, a boy is born with blue skin. His father sets up an ashram, and the family makes a living off of the pilgrims who seek the child’s blessings and miracles, believing young Kalki to be the tenth human incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. In Kalki’s tenth year, he is confronted with three trials that will test his power and prove his divine status and, his father tells him, spread his fame worldwide. While he seems to pass them, Kalki begins to question his divinity.

Over the next decade, his family unravels, and every relationship he relied on—father, mother, aunt, uncle, cousin—starts falling apart. Traveling from India to the underground rock scene of New York City, Blue-Skinned Gods explores ethnic, gender, and sexual identities, and spans continents and faiths, in an expansive and heartfelt look at the need for belief in our globally interconnected world.

Sammy wrote: "Our local Little Free Library is great, my go-to place for dropping off books I don't want to keep. Unfortunately it does get vandalised a lot though :("

That's sad. There are a few in the parks here that aren't great, but there is one at a church and someone's house that seem to be active and not damaged, so I use those. When I lived in Somerville, MA, there was over 20 that I would pass on my walks so down a bit to just 2 now.

#1 - Well, at least I have started - (4 stars)
Nice, somewhat basic, historical fiction, almost no fantasy (MC can sense gold). No interest in the rest of the series and put my copy out at a little free library for someone else

I just added two more so I need to read one more this month to do better than just break even. Added:

I got reviews written for two so far in Jan. Sadly both were only 3 stars. One is from Nov 2021 and one this month, so doing better.
- 3 stars
- 3 stars

I’ll volunteer as well for DQs

The Brides of Maracoor byGregory Maguire

Multimillion-copy bestselling author Gregory Maguire unveils the first in a three-book series spun off the iconic Wicked Years, featuring Elphaba’s granddaughter, the green-skinned Rain.

Ten years ago this season, Gregory Maguire wrapped up the series he began with Wicked by giving us the fourth and final volume of the Wicked Years, his elegiac Out of Oz.

But “out of Oz” isn’t “gone for good.” Maguire’s new series, Another Day, is here, twenty-five years after Wicked first flew into our lives.

Volume one, The Brides of Maracoor, finds Elphaba’s granddaughter, Rain, washing ashore on a foreign island. Comatose from crashing into the sea, Rain is taken in by a community of single women committed to obscure devotional practices.

As the mainland of Maracoor sustains an assault by a foreign navy, the island’s civil-servant overseer struggles to understand how an alien arriving on the shores of Maracoor could threaten the stability and wellbeing of an entire nation. Is it myth or magic at work, for good or for ill?

The trilogy Another Day will follow this green-skinned girl from the island outpost into the unmapped badlands of Maracoor before she learns how, and becomes ready, to turn her broom homeward, back to her family and her lover, back to Oz, which—in its beauty, suffering, mystery, injustice, and possibility—reminds us all too clearly of the troubled yet sacred terrain of our own lives.

Connection: MC is green!

They are both very good so I hope you enjoy both of them

While waiting for this one, people should go read Minor Mage which is T. Kingfisher's first middle grade book and has a pet armadillo so what is there more to ask for.

Day 6 DQs: Forty-Two - Forty-Five

23. Did you like the resolutions of the book?

It was very predictable, which was kind of my issue with the books as whole, as I am not usually one to guess endings. I like surprises. it fit with everything that had been built up to that so that was good, I guess.

24. Would you recommend this book to others? Do you have any recommendations inspired by this book you'd like to make?
Note entirely, the violence would keep it from most people I would recommend it too. For one I liked more that was also violent with a similar tone (no intersectionality though), is She Rides Shotgun. Also, Winter Counts for socially minded thrillers. (I also liked how this one was done better but has the completely overdone violence as well but less metaphors and less predictable to me).

25. Will you read SA Cosby's other title?
Likely not

Participation:
DQs written- https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 1 -https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 2-https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 3-https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 6 - This one

Judith, good point on the granddaughter. I had not thought of it that way.

Marie (UK) wrote: "Should this not be Day 4 Questions"

It should, I was tired. I'll go fix it.

It is still Jan 7 where I am for another 30 min so just made it.

DQs Day 4 Ch 29 to Ch 33

15. We learn why Ike was sent to prison. Still unclear to me why it was only a manslaughter charge but thoughts on what this says about him as a person and his relationship with his family?

16. Second, what did people think about the fight scene? I had been good with the metaphors up that point, but they were a bit much for me then. (Also, if the horse is screaming when you geld him, you should be using a local block, thank you).

17. Also, we now meet Tangerine. I did guess that she was trans, but still am not sure if that is the only thing the person on the other end of the phone is covering up. He seems to know too many gangs for that. What do you think about her as a character and if there is another secret?

18. What do you think of the character growth and the continued look at homophobia and violence against LGBTQ+ within the black community (as well as in general)? Do you think the growth is realistic/too fast? Does it matter with both sons being dead?

Family and holiday stuff happened so I never got back around to the third set so posting now to get credit.

Set 3 Chapter 20 to end

9) What did you think about the connection between Leander, the Divine, and Sarathiel? Were you expecting something along those lines?
I knew the divine would be involved but I am a little disappointed that she was just taken in by the revenant and didn’t have her own plan. I wanted a strong female villain and not what we got. However, it does imply there are grater forces at work.

10) Mother Delours, what did you think of her character? In future books are you hoping to learn more about The Lady and if she actually talks to her believers?
I liked her a lot and am ok if it is metaphorically or literally talking. It is hard to pull off literal talking, but there are books that do it well if the god only talks occasionally; I’m thinking Alanna (In the Hand of the Goddess) and Penric again. I’m still thinking if there is a book with constant chatter with a god (and not a demon or less spirt like this book). I hope we get more of her in future books, but the author may have made her too competent.

11) What did you think of the final battle? And about the revelations about how revenants were created? Surprised? Wonder why more aren't made?
I think they were never human and what they were exactly before being bound is still up for discussion, lesser gods? Old gods?

12) Overall thoughts on the books. Liked? Disliked? Are you going to read the next one in the series?
I liked it and will at least read the blurb for the next one. I would want it to not be too predictable such as just old magic reemerging. There are many series for me where the first book is carried by the unique worldbuilding but a second one falls flat.