Louise’s Comments (group member since Aug 29, 2015)

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

Well done Team we read 687 books and only needed to sacrifice 19 low page count books. We won't know the results until this time tomorrow so please check back for results.

Thank you for pulling out all the stops to honor the Muses and kill those pesky monsters.

Tati wrote: "I finished my last book during the day, but wasn't able to post it. I'll add it to the spreadhseet anyways, in case it counts. If it doesn't, oh well, that's them rules."

I can see that you have read Book Lovers did you answer DQs?

Challenge has officially ended, please make sure books are marked as read and on your TT shelf.

I’ve just finished my last book and am off out for a couple of hours. Be back before challenge ends to check on how everyone is doing. Check out the Campfire for the Team Tragedies and Comedies.

Circe’s Tragedy

This Is All Your Fault !!!! It was supposed to be Murder, Plain and Simple not Anatomy of a Murder. Obviously,the protocols given in A Good Girl's Guide to Murder were not followed. If it weren't for that Dumb Witness Allegedly seeing Agatha in the act, the detectives wouldn't be so Ruthless with their questions. It's Unforgivable Agatha was so sloppy. Being so close to Christmas, Agatha will blame her sloppiness on being in a In a Holidaze. According to detective Billy Summers Agatha has a reputation of having The Courage to Be Disliked. In all honesty, that's a good thing because she's blowing Blue Smoke to cover up her foul intentions. Agatha claims she was in the ballroom dancing to Midnight Bayou while the murders were taking place. Liar liar Chasing Fire ! Why would anyone be dancing to that Tadpole Treble song from a game. She knows her goal was To Kill a Kingdom with the arsenal of guns she recently purchased. She crumbled under the pressure and felt the slow burn of the Desert Heat Carrie Soto Is Back on the scene and will eventually get the truth from Agatha. Carrie is particularly interested in who the Body Movers are and how much they were paid. The Evening and the Morning of the following day, Agatha led the detectives to the abandoned warehouses where the dead bodies were stored. Until new information is released--Later Gator!!!


Book Titles
Anatomy of a Murder
Dumb Witness
Murder Plain and Simple
This is All Your Fault
Ruthless
Allegedly
Unforgivable
In a Holidaze
Later
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
Midnight Bayou
The Courage to Be Disliked
Billy Summers
Desert Heat
Chasing Fire
Carrie Soto is Back
Blue Smoke
To Kill A Kingdom
Body Movers
The Evening & the Morning

Circe’s Comedy
"Last night, I decided to take a walk downtown to see The Fountains of Silence. The water was dancing to the shimmering lights like The Radium Girls.
Much to my despair I was taken out of The Quiet Zone when I heard a ruckus coming from the movie theatre. Turning the corner I ran straight into Caprice and knocked her flat on her badorkas. ""OUCH!!! What in the blue blazes are you doing?"", she screamed. ""Oh my stars,"" I exclaimed. ""I'm just trying to see what all the commotion is about."" ""It's just Alice and the Mere Mortals having a jam session on Main Street,"" she replied. ""Why do old nosy fuddy duddies, like you, enjoy ruining The Most Fun We Ever Had. "" Excuse me young lady but you're The One that needs an attitude adjustment. Being Witch Slapped may be the dose of medicine you need,"" I replied. ""HMPH! It would be a cold day in,well,you know. Therefore, I'll just say welcome to Our Little World you old hag. Remember, Livvie Owen Lived Here and she'll be back to haunt you,""she snickered.
What? Why is this ungrateful brat bringing up my horrifying past? I really wanted to giver her a piece of my mind but decided It Sounded Better in My Head I couldn't risk giving her the pleasure of digging out The Skeleton in the Closet and telling the whole world that I Kissed Shara Wheeler. What an embarrassment that would be. Shedding The Light in Hidden Places would definitely be the death of me. I would be forced to give my Last Wool and Testament.

I picked up The Screwtape Letters that I was carrying and started walking away while humming The Ballad of Frankie Silver. Upon reflection of this incidence, I realized that these young teeny boppers carry a lot jealousy that they aren't official members of the ""blue haired gang"" aka the Golden Boys. But it's all good. I just need to let her learn the lesson that life doesn't Stay Gold,"


Book Titles
The Most Fun We Ever Had
Our Little World
Mere Mortals
Alice
The One
The Quiet Zone
The Fountains of Silence
The Radium Girls
The Light in Hidden Places
The Screwtape Letters
Caprice
Witch Slapped
Livvie Owen Lived Here
It Sounded Better in My Head
The Skeleton in the Closet
I Kissed Shara Wheeler
Last Wool and Testament
Stay Gold
The Ballad of Frankie Silver
Golden Boys

Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "Under checking tab it says Yes, problem for me, and lists Malibu Rising. I have double checked and I have it marked with a read date and a towers shelf"

Not sure what the reference in column H is
@Vicky please clarify what this relates to.

The problem column relates to discrepancy between the tracking sheet and official sheet.

Day 5
20 Jul 2:00 AM - 7:00 AM

17. I love how the author describes how the party goes feral starting with that awful Vaughn Donovan. Have you ever been to a party where things spiralled out of control?

No I haven’t although friends have

18. I fist pumped the air when Nina tells herself to stop being a doormat and goes to find her dad (or as she says, her "f&*(ing nothing"!!). That whole scene where she confronts him felt so cathartic. I loved the line "It would not be her that bent and broke anymore." How did you find it?

This was a very powerful scene, Nina gives herself permission to look after herself, and confronting her father gave her the empowerment she needed to chase her dream.

19. There are always many sides to a story. Why do you think Mick came to the party? If he was your dad, would you have forgiven him? Would you have wanted to see him again after the party?
I think Mick realised he’s fading from the music world and has no-one to go home to. I think he was hoping that he could take on the role of father, unfortunately this was too late. Whether I would have forgiven him, probably not.

20. The party changed the siblings in lots of different ways. How do you think their lives will be different now?
I think they have each been given the freedom to chase their own dreams knowing that they all will be there for each other.

21. Final thoughts on the book? Would you read more by the author?
I enjoyed this book, I struggled initially as I was reading the e-book. Definitely a book best enjoyed as an audio. I’’ve read The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and will definitely pick up Daisy Jones & The Six and Carrie Soto Is Back

Good Morning all, can’t believe it’s the last day of the challenge. Managed to finish Malibu Rising today. Just Empire of Storms to go.

Robin (Saturndoo) wrote: "Louise wrote: "Robin (Saturndoo) wrote: "I claimed one of the read by a TM and finished it today : )"

Unfortunately Loveless doesn’t work for this task as Vian read it for the mini..."

Some of the rules were clarified in the Captains group, which was communicated here

This was to deter teams from filling up the section with BOM’s

Tati wrote: "I can *try* to read another book for Calliope, depending on the time zone we're following (which I always forget)"

Uk Time zone there is 29 hours left

https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown...

Mini Update

Thalia - Comedy - Complete

Urania - Series - 1 Outstanding

Vicky - The Fires of Heaven (I'm just about 2 hours away from finishing this)

Polyhymnia - Title Squares - 2 Outstanding

Jax - In the Great Green Rom
Louise - Empire of Storms

Erato - Pairs - Complete


Calliope - Read by a TM - Outstanding, 1 Unclaimed
Please note the book chosen needs to be read before this mini started.

Vicky - The Gunslinger

Clio - TBR - 1 Outstanding

Keri - The Neverending Story

Euterpe - Concert - Complete

Terpsichore - Ball - 2 Outstanding

Erin - The Drawing of the Three
Vicky - American Duchess

Stacey wrote: "Louise wrote: "Stacey wrote: "Finished Unforgiveable (read by Trinia). I've added it to the spreadsheet. Not sure if you need it anymore. Feel free to use or not - whatever we need for the most poi..."

This was announced before the start of the mini here when the Mods posted rule clarifications

"Calliope: the book should have been read before the start of this mini. Entire sections filled with BOM are not really in the spirit of the challenge.
If it is a series book, you must read the same book in the series. No substitutions."

DAY 2 - 1959 "It was last December 1959"
41% 1981 "...in her arms, on her back."

5. 1959 - "It was last December, 1959" -
It sounds like a Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons song...Wow! What an explosive chapter. Your reaction? Mick was characterised as a sleezy womaniser, it was always going to happen or I didn't see that coming! And June's reaction? Sensitive woman with a huge heart or a doormat for putting up with what she suspected?

We have to take into consideration the era. She was effectively stuck with the choices she made, even if she went home to her parents, the blame would be put at her feet.

6. "He gave no thought to the idea that he might break his children like someone had broken him". "You're drunk and you're killing yourself with this stuff." Discuss Mick and June's parenting styles and how they have affected the siblings as children and adults.
The siblings are left to pretty much raise themselves with Mick believing throwing money at them is parenting.

7. The title of the book is Malibu Rising and the author gives the reader a sense of the beach culture both in the past and the present time lines. What does it bring to the story and would it be as effective in another setting?
I like the setting it gives a sense of how a locale can become a destination.

8. Already with the first set of questions there are varying opinions by the group about both Taylor Jenkins Reid as an author and how it compares to her other work. I loved Daisy Jones and the Six but I am finding this one as bit like Days of our Lives... but the author is skillful enough to make it into a page turner. Where do you sit, engaging tale well written or too much drama and as we are half way through do you see this ending in triumph or tragedy for the Riva siblings?

I’m enjoying the story, I think there will be tragedy for some, and triumph for others. The past storyline gives depth to the present storyline

Robin (Saturndoo) wrote: "I claimed one of the read by a TM and finished it today : )"

Unfortunately Loveless doesn’t work for this task as Vian read it for the mini

@Jenn please add Hammered to your TT shelf

Stacey wrote: "Finished Unforgiveable (read by Trinia). I've added it to the spreadsheet. Not sure if you need it anymore. Feel free to use or not - whatever we need for the most points."

Unfortunately this one doesn’t work as Trinia read it during the mini 😞

DQ Day 5: Ch 29-End

18. Stealing a quote from day 4: ‘Sometimes, even when you start with the last page and you think you know everything, a books finds a way to surprise you.’ Did this book surprise you? If it did, was it in a good or a bad way?

This was a good book with a couple of surprises that allowed everyone to get their HEA

19. Libby’s big secret surprised Nora. Was it what you expected? What are your thoughts on her keeping it secret and using the list to try to win Nora over?
I was surprised by Libby’s secret I do think she could have been more open with Nora and work through the list with the full knowledge of why.

20. What about Nadine and the cat? Did you appreciate this side story? How did you feel about how it played out in the novel?
I didn’t quite get this part of the story.

22. I loved Nora’s interaction with Clint, what about you? Do you think she overstepped? Do you think it influenced the ending?
I think it needed to be said so that they could give Charlie the freedom he needed.

23. The ending. It is very much a Happily Ever After. Nora gets almost everything. Was it too HEA or just right and did you like it?
It was just right I nearly cried at the thought that they would not get their HEA

Robin (Saturndoo) wrote: "I finished the The Boy in the Red Dress.

Is there anything left that I could fill?

Since I finished The Book of Cold Cases, late that is, can I still do the DQs...."

Unfortunately not, DQ points can only be claimed for the month that they are active.

@Audrey Jane/ Deanna can you confirm what ship(s) we have sunk