Colleen Colleen ’s Comments (group member since May 02, 2018)


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

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35559 DQ Day 1 - One to Four (p62)

1. What drew you to this BOM? Was it the fantastic reviews it’s been getting? Or the cute cover? Or something else?

- Definitely all the fantastic reviews. I haven't seen anyone say they hated it - or even that it was just OK. And the audiobook narrator was fabulous!

2. What do you think of the writing style so far?

-Creative and funny - I wasn't sure what was going on at first, then easily fell in.

3. What do you think about Linus as the main character? So far, he seems to be quite frightened of the world. How do you think he will cope in the strange situation he has been put in?

-He seems very real-life to me. Could be a typical male somewhat. You just had to love and root for him.

4. I was surprised that one of the children on the island is supposed to be the Anti-Christ. Heart warming stories don’t tend to feature someone like that. What powers do you think he will have?

-I thought he would definitely be more destructive and a real threat - where he could've been if not for Arthur and the refuge house.

DAY 2 QUESTIONS. JULY 17. CHAPTERS 5-7

5. The book is set in an unknown city and then onto Marsyas Island. Country Unknown. Do you think it is set in an alternate universe to our own eg UK or USA or a completely fantasy location? Does it matter or make you think differently about the storyline either way?

-I wasn't sure - it was similar enough to UK/US, yet just enough different that obviously I knew it wasn't "real" - but seemed so similar and yet could be real - seemed more like a fantasy location to me.

6. First impressions of the house and Linus' reaction to it? What is your own reaction to it and how it is described?

-It sounded really great, yet frightening with all the characters - until you got to know them of course.

7. In Chapter 6 we are introduced to a colourful array of children and the enigmatic Mr Arthur Parnassus. Who is your favourite child and ability so far and what special talents do you think will be revealed about Arthur?

-I listened to the audiobook and LOVED his voice of Chauncy the Bellhop! All of the characters were written well with their own distinct personality & quirks. Loved the mayor too!

8. At the first dinner welcome for Linus the reader is bombarded with a plethora of notable pearls of wisdom from Arthur Parnassus which made me realize the allegorical themes of this story.
"Sometimes our prejudices color our thoughts when we least expect them to. If we can recognize that, learn from it we can become better people."
"Because even the bravest of us can still be afraid sometimes as long as we don't let our fear become all we know."
"There are things in this world that defy the imagination."
"He'd never be a bellhop because what Hotel would hire one such as him, people fear what they don't understand."

What point do you think the author is trying to make through the world and characters he has imagined and what do you think these quotes hint about the story moving forward?

It's very timely and applicable today. I knew this was going to be a hopeful, wise story and that they all would learn much.
Team Rob Anybody (996 new)
Jul 12, 2021 07:07PM

35559 Completion Post:
Mexican Gothic Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
7/12/21
301 pages
Team Rob Anybody (996 new)
Jul 11, 2021 09:27AM

35559 Completion Post:
I Am Pilgrim I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes
7/11/21
612 pages
Team Rob Anybody (996 new)
Jun 29, 2021 05:35PM

35559 Completion Post:

The Only Woman in the Room The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict
6/29/21
256 pages

Jackanory - MC is a Jewish actress and scientist who escapes the Nazi powers in Austria and comes to the US; works to end the war.

The Book of Jonas The Book of Jonas by Stephen Dau
6/29/21
272 pages

Bingo - E8 fierce cat on cover (lion)
Team Rob Anybody (996 new)
Jun 27, 2021 01:17PM

35559 @Heli - I really enjoyed The Art of Fielding. :)
Team Rob Anybody (996 new)
Jun 24, 2021 07:43PM

35559 Completion Post
The Grapes of Wrath
6/24/21
504 pages

Uses:
Features a religious zealot - ? a minor female character at the government camp lectures the family on sin/sinners
Features a superstitious character - ? Rose of Sharon/Rosasharn fears for her unborn baby with all the signs/lectures around her

Bingo -
Bag of Coffee Beans - family managed to get coffee even though money was tight
Guitar - people could listen to a guitar player once in a while at the camp or on the road
Broom - Ma sprinkled & swept the dirt
Team Rob Anybody (996 new)
Jun 22, 2021 06:05PM

35559 Completion Post

Life Sentences Life Sentences by Laura Lippman
6/22/21
352 pages

Crown on cover (if Geri does not have this read)
Bingo - D7 crown (on cover)
Jackanory? Wherever you think fits best?
Team Rob Anybody (996 new)
Jun 13, 2021 07:52PM

35559 Louise wrote: "For those of you that have read The House in the Cerulean Sea already for this challenge you can still claim BOM points in the usual way."

Great! So I read this 5/23/21 and the rules are that I participate in at least 3 DQs over 3 days for it to count. Is there anything special I need to do for tracking?
Team Rob Anybody (996 new)
Jun 08, 2021 06:37PM

35559 Completion post:
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
6/8/21
368 pages

Uses:
Features a barbarian (Brock Turner)
Spell out K - title
Memoir MPG

Jackanory -
Describe your protagonists, etc. - title
Team Rob Anybody (996 new)
Jun 07, 2021 08:00PM

35559 Completion Post
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
East of Eden
6/7/21
602 pages

Uses:
Bingo - B2 Eagle - for MPG American literature
Bingo - F3 XXXX - Kate works in a whorehouse
Bingo - F6 Runner - Aron runs away to join the military and lies about his age

Jackanory - setting = East of Eden
Team Rob Anybody (996 new)
May 27, 2021 03:37PM

35559 Best wishes Cilla!

I was hoping to be able to read June's BOM The Midnight Library but the queue is soooo long! Must be quite popular! Keeping my fingers crossed I can get it in time so I can participate in the discussion but doesn't look at all promising. I will try though!
Team Rob Anybody (996 new)
May 23, 2021 02:24PM

35559 Completion Post:
The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune The House in the Cerulean Sea
5/23/21
394 pages

Uses:
21 Romance MPG
123 sea on cover
137 MPG Fantasy
164 Young Adult MPG
167 title includes an adjective
196 Team Cheery Littlebottom recommendation
225 1st person POV
236 vehicle powered by engine on cover
Team Rob Anybody (996 new)
May 16, 2021 07:04PM

35559 Completion Post:
Displaced Persons by Ghita Schwarz Displaced Persons by Ghita Schwarz
5/16/21
341 pages

56 go to the cinema - Fela goes
88 set in a large city - New York
153 Historical Fiction MPG
184 War MPG
190 Spell out Sky - S - author Schwarz
Team Rob Anybody (996 new)
May 13, 2021 05:04PM

35559 Louise wrote: "Colleen wrote: "Completion Post:

The Fifth Avenue Story Society by Rachel Hauck
5/12/21
400 pages

Uses:
21 Romance MPG
36 focused on a group of friends
51 MC has an office job
61 read a book..."


@Louise -
51 MC has an office job = Lexa works as an executive assistant who ultimately gets her dream job of CEO
Team Rob Anybody (996 new)
May 12, 2021 05:03PM

35559 Completion Post:

The Fifth Avenue Story Society by Rachel Hauck
5/12/21
400 pages

Uses:
21 Romance MPG
36 focused on a group of friends
51 MC has an office job
61 read a book where someone changes job
82 Spell out BEES - E - character Ed
88 set in a large city - New York
111 Spell out CLAY - C - character Coral
112 Spell out CLAY - L - character Lexa
119 someone makes a new friend
143 letters F-A-T in title
145 spell out TRUTH - T - title
146 spell out TRUTH - R - author
166 MC is an educator (school teacher, lecturer, governess etc) - Jett Wilder is a professor

*If you need me to be creative with any Bingo tasks let me know - I'm not sure if we're there yet. :)

Also - are we supposed to pick a Task spot on the spreadsheet and put our book in or are the leaders ultimately deciding where it goes and doing that?
Team Rob Anybody (996 new)
May 12, 2021 05:01PM

35559 Audrey Jane wrote: "If anyone is interested by our team character - here's what I gathered from the book (no spoilers) :

Rob Anybody is adorable and funny! He's the leader or 'the Big Man' of the Mac Nac Feegle clan ..."


Thanks for the info! I will keep this in mind for when I start the series!

@Audrey J - well done!
Team Rob Anybody (996 new)
May 08, 2021 09:53AM

35559 Completion Post
The Dream Lover A Novel of George Sand by Elizabeth Berg
5/8/21
368 pages

Uses:
13 Feminism MPG
22 title has all letters in MORT
81 BEES - author Berg
82 BEES - author Elizabeth
88 set in large city Paris
95 features a grandparent
118 title has all letters in DEATH
119 someone makes a friend (Sand & Flaubert)
145 TRUTH - title
153 Historical fiction MPG
180 one woman on cover
183 Feminism MPG
202 someone reads to a child
224 single person on cover
234 MC has a son
244 Frederic Chopin dies
Team Rob Anybody (996 new)
May 04, 2021 05:30PM

35559 Carrie wrote: "The House in the Cerulean Sea
T.J. Klune

Date Read: May 4, 2021
Pages: 400

Possible uses:

#6 - Cover has green, yellow and purple
#14 - features a protest (the i..."


I have heard nothing but rave reviews on this book. Patiently waiting for my library copy to come through!
Team Rob Anybody (996 new)
May 04, 2021 12:36PM

35559 I finally finished up an audio I started prior to TT starting! I am reading one and listening to one that will count towards. Does everyone do more than a book at a time? In different formats?
Team Rob Anybody (996 new)
May 02, 2021 03:12PM

35559 I'm back from vacation folks and started reading! Best of luck to you all and enjoy your reads.