Vikki’s Comments (group member since May 25, 2014)

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

I am reading 2 books with books on the cover so I can do the "book" goal.

In Pretty Girls, Claire's parents (especially dad) did not approve of Claire's husband Paul.

Completed "started" goal

Favorite book so far? Well, definitely not Moby Dick but I am glad I finally read it. The Grisha Series has been my favorite so far.

The Kindle is usually what I use now and it works better with my lifestyle and my need to read multiple books at once. But with books that are bricks that I want to read quick, "actual" books make it easier for me to look and see how long a chapter or to see my progress to motivate me to keep reading.

Completed the "holiday" goal

About 50% through the "started" book

I found a different book with "Santa" in it so I can do that one as soon as I am done with Moby Dick.

For whatever reason, I find that I read "physical" books faster than Kindle books especially when they are longer like this book. Anyone else like this too?

Will "Santa-like beard" count for the "Santa" goal? If so, I found a book

I have a 2 hour audiobook that I could listen to while driving around today.

Well at least we can still use 4th of July for the "month" goal so not a total bummer. I'll keep looking for some books too

In Pretty Girls that I read, "Santa" is on pg 2 "... find you in Chicago or Santa Fe or Chicago or some artistic commune..." Will this count for the "Santa" goal?

For the "wards" goal, Ruin and Rising will cover it due to the end of the book (view spoiler)[ Alina and Mal rebuild and run the orphanage they grew up in <\spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

Discussion Questions December 2

Chapters 1-3

1. Why did you decide to read this book? Have you read other books by Neil Gaiman? Did someone recommend it to you?

It has been on my to-read list for a while since I keep hearing good things about it. I read The Ocean at the End of the Lane and loved it. I also saw the movie Coraline which I loved.

2. In the first chapter we're introduced to some of Shadow's fellow prison inmates - Low Key Lyesmith, the Iceman, and Sam Fetisher. Do you think any of these chracters will play a part in the rest of the book or were they just background flair?

Just background flair unless Shadw ends up going back to jail.

3. What do you think of Mr. Wednesday? I think I caught a few hints about who he really is - anyone else have an idea?

I do not trust him but I do not know enough about mythology to know who he is.

4. What are you thoughts on Laura, her infidelity and her return from the dead to protect Shadow? Do you think she is one of Shadow's crazy dreams that he's been getting?

I was disappointed that Laura cheated on Shadow. I did like the part where she came back from the dead and thought it was real. Maybe it had something to do with the coin he threw into her grave?

5. There seems to be a lot of interesting things being set up even in these early chapters, what have you found most intriguing in the opening scenes of the book?

Shadows dreams and the short stories about past and present gods.

Discussion Questions 03 December 2015 Chapters 4-5

6. We meet the three sisters and Czernobog. Is Wednesday collecting the people for this meeting himself or is Czernobog the only one because he is difficult? Shadow is already making himself useful, do you think it was a smart move playing that checkers game?

Czernobog since he is difficult. Shadow was definitely not smart in the checker game bargain.

7. I like that the gods and godesses and mythological beings mentioned in this book so far are based on real stories , this is what I’ve found on Czernobog, and the the Zorya’s although there seem to be only two sisters and is the third sister added by the author. What do you think of the group we have met? Are we going to see the sisters again?

I like the sister of the night the best. I hope to see the sisters again.

8. In the “Coming to America” part of chapter 4 we learn something about Cornish mythological beings and how they came to be in America. Do you think we will meet some in the chapters to come?

Hope so.

9. What did you think of Shadow’s Fortune ”Every ending is a new beginning. Your lucky number is none. Your lucky color is dead. Motto: Like father like son.” Does it mean something, is it a prediction of how the story will turn out? The House on Rock is a strange place, what did you think of it’s attractions? I’m curious what is going to happen with the carrousel, what about you?

Maybe. I thought the Drunkard's Dream was interesting too. Definitely interested about a carrousel that can help you see the gods.

10. What do you think of the writing style of this book? I feel like I’m constantly distracted and need to focus, but it is the writing style. I like the way that the story is told and you get to know new characters quickly. Is the book what you expected it to be when you started reading?

It is better than I thought but it is a slow read in some places.

Well, I have two of these books "started" and on my currently reading shelf Anna Karenina and Moby-Dick; or, The Whale. I was hoping to have them done by the end of the challenge. I will try to pick up the pace on these but if I don't think it is going fast enough by the end of this weekend, I will start audiobook 1984. As always if someone finishes a book to complete this goal before I am done, let us know.

Completed "parsley" goal

Lucky I started Railway Children audiobook after I finished the 2 dystopian books for a little lighter reading. I am almost done with "parsley" book. Had road trips for work the last 2 days which is great for listening to audiobooks but bad for getting anything work related done.

Completed "train as main setting " goal

I have an audiobook with parsley in it so I will take the goal.

Completed goal ~ Read a book that is in the "Best Dystopian and Post-Apocalyptic Fiction" Listopia List (Victoria)

Completed "disturbing" goal.

Completed individual Mummy Quest
(view spoiler)[ ~Mummy Movie Moments~ 11/7/15-12/7/15
~ an Egyptian Quest
brought to you by the Tower Teams Egyptian Teams ~

This is an OPTIONAL min-challenge for our Egyptian teams
Karsyn (Team Anubis) is a Mummy Movie fanatic and has put together the following quest!

How to Play
There are 15 quests to choose from.
◈ Each team member that completes a quest receives 5 points for their team
◈ Team members can complete a quest more than once
◈ Any team that completes all 15 quests receives a bonus 10 points for their team
◈ Books read between November 7 and December 7 count for this mini-challenge
◈ Books used for this mini challenge do not need to be separate books for what you are claiming for Tower Teams
◈ The usual book length rules apply, Books must be more than 100 pages in length and Children's books and Graphic Novels can not be used unless by word count they can be verified as more than 25,000 words using arbookfind.com
◈ There will be a spreadsheet for the Captains to update and track the teams points

What you win
The ongoing praise and adulation from your fellow Egyptian team mates!
This is just a challenge for fun and does not contribute points to Tower Teams

The Quests
Are detailed in the message below, or under this spoiler is a re-cap of the 15 quests for easy review
[
Re-cap of quests:

01 ~ Read a Book: features pharaoh(s), features accident of any sort, features plague. Frog/insect on cover. OR "Catastrophe" in title

11/11/15-- [book:Shadow and Bone|10194157] -- the ever Darkness in the Fold-- plague or the accident of making the Fold and/or the volcra (monsters that were made by the darkness/Fold)

02 ~ Read a book: features a map, features someone down on their luck, features a major find of some sort. Strange/unique box on cover. OR "Map" in title.

11/15/15-- Pretty Girls

03 ~ Read a book: features an army/soldiers, features a legend, features long trip. Sand or blood on cover. OR "Legend" in title.

11/11/15-- Othello

04 ~ Read a Book: features shipwreck, features horses, features river. Horses or River on cover. OR "Wrong Side" in title.

11/21/15-- Black Beauty

05 ~ Read a Book: features something large that is buried/unearthed, features a dog/Anubis, features a person in power. Read an erotica/steamy romance. OR "Naughty" in title.

11/19/15-- Bound

06 ~ Read a Book: features an explorer, adventurer, treasure-seeker, gunfighter or librarian. Library on cover. OR "Librarian" in title.

11/22/15-- Siege and Storm

07 ~ Read a Book: features a book that is "evil", features bad things happening from reading book. Has all gold cover, has all black cover. Book(s) on cover. OR "Book of the Dead" in title.

12/3/15--Fahrenheit 451

08 ~ Read a Book: features life or death situation, features creature not of earth (alien, mythological). Weapon on cover, creature on cover. OR "Mortal" in title.

11/17/15-- A Christmas Carol

09 ~ Read a Book: features end of world, features a contract. Read a Dystopia. Suitcase on cover, destroyed world on cover. OR "Problem" in title.

11/8/15-- I Am Legend

10 ~ Read a Book: features a prince, features a grateful character. Eyes on cover, tongue on cover, group of people (at least 4) on cover. OR "Curse" in title.

11/16/15-- Hamlet

11 ~ Read a Book: features a secret society/group, features innocent groups of people killed, features small group against large enemy/situation. Ancient city on cover. OR "Secret" in title.

11/20/15-- Man's Search for Meaningi

12 ~ Read a Book: features something not where it should be, features someone finding out the truth. Has a black AND gold cover, bird/Horus on cover. OR "Patience" in title.

11/17/15-- The Good Soldier

13 ~ Read a Book: features someone being taken to save others, features a princess, features a mummy. Mummy on cover. OR "Eternity" or "Forever" in title.

11/12/15-- King Lear

14 ~ Read a Book: features damsel in distress, features saving the world, features main/secondary character killed off. Airplane on cover. OR "Rescue" in title.

11/7/15-- The Child Thief

15 ~ Read a Book: features boy gets the girl, features HEA. Treasure on cover, couple kissing on cover. OR "Kiss" in title.

11/10/15-- The Importance of Being Earnest

Complete: 15/15-- 12/3/15 (hide spoiler)]

I'll do the "dystopia" goal unless someone else wants to do or has a book to cover this. If anyone finishes a book that would cover a goal before I get a chance, go ahead and let us know. I am just using audiobooks I already have for most of these goals and since I have a long drive to work, I am listening to books instead of the radio.

Cuckoo and sizzle are also onomatopoeias.