Jennifer’s Comments (group member since Oct 31, 2014)

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

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
7/6/18
Christina Lauren

Gavin
Delilah

Sarah J Maas
693 pages
7/3/18

Aelin
Dorian
Manon
Aedion
Elide
Asterin

Marcus Sedgwick
218 pages
6/25/18

Characters
Laureth
Jack Peak
Benjamin
Mr Walker

Hesh Kestin
240 pages

Yellow cover

I reading a yellow cover

Ruth Ware
6/11/18
352 pages

Characters
Lo Blacklock
Judah
Nilsson
Archer
Bullmer
Ben

Laura wrote: "Jennifer wrote: "Just got back from visiting a college with my daughter should finish a book tonight or early tomorrow."

Sounds like we have children the same age. Its harder than I thought lettin..."

Definitely hard to let go

Just got back from visiting a college with my daughter should finish a book tonight or early tomorrow.

Mowed the yard, got two runs in and finished sitting by the pool.

6/4/18
416 pages
Ruth Ware

Characters
Fatima
Thea
Isa
Luc
Mary wren
Kate
Ambrose
Owen

5/28/18
4 stars
476 pages

Hard cover

Characters
Kasia
Herta
Caroline
Paul
Rena
Dorothea
Suzanna

BOTM yes
DQ discussion yes

Shopping, BBQing if the rain holds out, pool time and finishing up Lilac Girls and starting The Lying Game ohhh and laundry

29. What did you think about the relationship between Caroline and Paul? Was it a satisfying ending?
I wish they would have come together in the end

30. Which story was the most interesting to you, Caroline, Kasia, Herta? Why?
Kasia it took the longest to see her healing process pkay out

31. “Lilacs only blossom after a harsh winter.” What did you think about the explanation for the title of the book?
Made sense could have been much more in depth of a meaning though

32. Many years later Herta wore Halina’s ring. Do you think she cared for Halina more than she would admit? Or do you think Herta was too cold hearted to really care about another person?
Halina was definitely dear to Herta

33. Did you learn anything about WWII and the years after that you did not know before? If so, what?
The Polish take on the story is nor one I had read about

34. Kasia got closure about her mother’s death. And in the end Kasia did positively identify Herta. Did you like the ending to the book? Would you recommend this book to others?
Yes

DAILY QUESTIONS - SET 4
CHAPTERS 27-37 - PART 2

Q20. (CH 27 - CAROLINE) AS THE WAR STARTS TO WIND DOWN, CAROLINE LEARNED THAT PAUL WAS STILL ALIVE. WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT HER RUSHING TO FRANCE TO SEE HIM? HOW DO YOU THINK PAUL FEELS ABOUT CAROLINE?
I think when she sees him at the coat drive we finally see that he only sees her as a way out. Don't we all want to chase love.

Q21. (CH 28 - KASIA) KASIA SEEMS TO BE STRUGGLING MORE THAN ZUZANNA TO BEING BACK IN POLAND. WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?
Kasia still feel guilt for everyone being at the camps

Q22 (CH 29-30 - CAROLINE) HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN CAROLINE CAME BACK TO PAUL'S HOUSE TO MOVE IN? WHAT ABOUT WHAT SHE WAS ASKED TO DO? WOULD YOU DO IT? AND WHY DO YOU THINK SHE ULTIMATELY DECIDED TO HELP?
I was happy for her at the time but so sad at the end result. I do hope she finds love somewhere. It was her attempt at closure finding the child.

Q23 (CH 31-32-33 - KASIA) WHERE YOU SURPRISED AT WHAT KASIA FOUND WHEN WORKING AT THE HOSPITAL AND HOW THINGS EVOLVED FOR HER? DO YOU THINK SHE'LL FIND HER HAPPINESS?
I am not surprised but I think those two have a long healing process and hope they are able to stay together through it.
Q24 (CH 34 - HERTA) WHAT ARE YOUR FEELINGS FOR HERTA? HAVE THEY CHANGED OVER THE COURSE OF THE BOOK?
I have such mixed feelings for Herta. Sometimes I feel sorry for her and others she makes me so angry.

Q25 (CH36 - CAROLINE) - CAROLINE HAS STAYED IN FRANCE AND IS DOING HER VOLUNTEER WORK IN PARIS. WHY DO YOU THINK SHE WON'T READ ANY OF PAUL'S LETTERS? WHAT DID YOU THINK ABOUT THE TURN OF EVENTS AT THE END OF CHAPTER 36?
I do not think she wants to get engulfed with Paul again and she knows reading the letters will keep her from healing. I think the end of chapter 36 lets us see she will finally move on.


Q27 (CH 37 - KASIA - PART 3) 10 YEARS HAVE PASSED. WHY DO YOU THINK KASIA'S RELATIONSHIPS WITH HER FAMILY ARE WHAT THEY ARE? HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT HER AT THIS POINT IN THE STORY?
She is struggling with guilt but I do think her family issues will resolve. I still feel pity or her at this point.

Q28 A LOT OF TIME WAS COVERED IN PART 2 AND THEN INTO PART 3 - DID YOU FORSEE ANY OF THE DEVELOPMENTS? DO YOU THINK WE'LL LEARN WHAT LILACS MEANS TO THE STORY?
I hope we see what lilacs mean.

Laura wrote: "Jennifer, are you reading Lilac Girls? I read that last year for Towers V. It was good!"

Yes I love it

I am really enjoying the book of the month

Picked 3. Answered three rounds of DQ's for book of the month. A good read.

Tower Teams VI > Team Newt Scamander

Dobby because he reminds of my chiweenie

Ron becasuse everyone loves the underdog

Hagrid because he is a big cuddly bear

Discussion Questions
Chapters 16 - 26

Q15. We hear now of some of the experimental operations carried out on the "rabbits" How do you think the girls are managing to get through it and still help one another?
There is strength in helping each other. Bonds built because each had been violated and lost something or someone. The will to survive is strong.

Q16 Caroline, still in New York, but no longer with a job in the French Embassy starts to sell war bonds. How do you feel about her character development?
She is still a wonderful person trying to help where she can.

Q17 I am concerned that we are now over half way through the book, there have been some floral references but as yet we have no idea WHO the Lilac Girls are and WHAT their association is. Do you have any ideas on either the Who or the What?
I feel like all these women are going to come together in the end and that is when we will find the true meaning.

Q18 Herta arrives at your front door - knowing what she has been involved in what would you do?
Turn her in although you still may feel she was a victim as well
Q19 this is more of a general question. There are a LOT of Historical Fiction books that focus on WWII What is there in this book so far that will make it stand out for you?
Following the different perspectives of three very different women dealing with this awful tragedy

Discussion Questions - Set 2
Chapters 9-15

8. (Chapter 9 - Herta) - Herta arrives at the re-education camp and realizes that they are killing the prisoners. She also meets Fritz again, someone she knew from medical school. She says she’s going to leave because of what they are doing at the camp. Do you think she will leave? I think she will stay until the end

9. (Chapter 10 - Caroline) - Paul returns to Paris, and then Hitler invades Paris. Paul gets a call in to Caroline. Do you think they will ever see each other again? How would you feel if your loved one was in the middle of a war zone? I think they will meet again. It would be terrifying to have a loved one in a war zone.

10 (Chapter 11 - Kasia) - Kasia and her family are caught by the SS and sent on a train to a camp. Kasia feels bad and thinks she brought this on herself. Do you think they are arriving at the camp where Herta works? Should Kasia feel guilty about bringing this arrest on everyone? They are at the camp with Herta. No she should not feel guilty but I am sure she will always bear some guilt.

11. (Chapter 12 - Caroline) - Caroline takes on a top secret mission in locating all the camps - re-education and extermination. Do you think she might find Paul in one of them? Absolutely

12. (Chapter 13 - Kasia) Kasia and her family are taken to the same camp where Herta works. Her math teacher is murdered in front of her and she is assigned to pull her to the pile of dead people. She must be facing such desolation and hunger. Have you ever felt this same sense of isolation, hopelessness and anger? How do you think you would handle it? I have not and only hope I could bear it with strength

13. (Chapter 14 - Herta). Herta and Kasia’s mother Halina are working together now at the clinic. They seem to forming some kind of friendship. How do you think this will play out with Herta being German and Halina being German/Polish?Halina will be punished by the other nurse who is jealous of Herta's treatment of Helena

14. (Chapter 15 - Caroline) Caroline finds out that Paul and Reena are on the list of prisoners in Paris. She continues to support the orphaned children in Paris by selling some of her family silver. She stands up against anti-semitism in the shop. I really like this character’s gumption and willingness to stand up for what’s right. Have you ever been in that situation? If so, what did you have to do? I have not