Keely’s Comments (group member since Aug 30, 2013)

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

Laura wrote: "For those still reading The Wishing Game, the bonus for BOM participation ends tomorrow.

I think it's just Keely and Carrie. I don't see any others on the spreadsheet.

Also, The S..."

I have finished The Wishing Game. It looks like Preeti and Carrie still to finish.

Claire wrote: "Just realised the main character is called Claire in that one.
It usually weirds me out when a character has my name in books. And in a thriller... It'll be an interesting experiece I guess 😅

How..."

I'm still yet to experience my first name in a book. I experienced my last name for the first time a year or so ago. It was very strange. Sadly, the character turned out to be the bad guy.

I have placed a hold on One by One. It says it could take 9 weeks, but if we need me to read it then I could use an audible credit for it.

Done!

New monster - Audrey Jr. from the Vegi-might wheel

DQs Day 3:

10. We read something that moves us, touches us, speaks to us and it... it changes us?"

Do you agree with that quote? Are there any books that changed you personally?
I do agree with this quote. When I was going through a rough patch, it was comforting to read books where characters went through something similar and things got better.

11. We finally get the first riddle. Did you guess it before Lucy did?
I did not. I'm listening to this book as an audiobook so it didn't really give me much time to think about it.

12. What did you think of The City of Secondhand and of Markham showing up like that? Is he just a sleezy lawyer, or is there something more sinister going on?
Hopefully just a sleezy lawyer, but there may be more to it.

13. do you have to keep reminding yourself that the "contestants" are adults, not children?
No, but I have to remind myself that they are older than I keep thinking.


Some other thoughts:

- Why would someone being a "famous artist" mean it's odd for them to bring a guest their dinner? I found this rather a lot weird.
Maybe he has just been alone too long.

- One for the backroom BOM regulars: Did the whole bizarre scarf thing give anyone else Hot Prof and Daisy vibes? 😆
Yes!

I decided to swap out A Game of Thrones with something already finished for the mini. I still intend to finish it this round, but despite my best efforts, my reading keeps getting interrupted.

DQs Day 2 Chapter 6 - 11

6. Jack replied to Lucy's letter and Lucy decided to run away from home. What did you think of his letter and would you have done the same as Lucy?
His letter was fun and was probably something Lucy needed at the time. If I were Lucy, I may have run away too.

7. We get more insights on Clock Island. Every 'hour' is its own section like for example a beach. Would you like to visit the island? Do you find the idea of it fascinating or could you not care less?
I would like to explore the island.

8. Every part starts with a quote from Jack's book. Do you think these parts are important for the story? Just showing off Jack's work? Something else?
I feel like they relate to what will happen or what has happened.

9. It seems like there will be a deeper connection between Lucy and Hugo. Do you agree? And would you approve of it given that Hugo had first met her when she was still a child?
I'm not sure how I feel about it. Larger age gaps are not as important as we get older and it doesn't seem that Hugo had any romantic attraction to Lucy when she was a child.

I have made a good start on The Wishing Game now. I'm about a third of the way through so I should be able to finish it today.

I am about a third of the way through A Game of Thrones too but as that is a much longer book, it will take me a little longer. The aim is Saturday or sooner for that one.

Discussion Questions : Day 1 (Prologue - Chapter 5)

1. We have been introduced to a few important characters - Lucy, Christopher, and Hugo. Plus the off-page persona of Jack. What do you think of the characters so far?
I like Lucy and Christopher so far. I'm not really sure what to make of Hugo or Jack yet.

2. We get a riddle right away in the Prologue:

"Two men on an island and both blame the water
for the loss of a wife and the death of a daughter
but neither ever married, and neither's a father.
What is the secret of the girls and the water?"

Then Hugo thinks to himself that "Five years ago, it [the ocean] had brought low the small, strange kingdom of Clock Island." Do you think the riddle is related to what happened five years ago? Any speculations on what it all means, assuming you haven't read ahead?
I feel like it would be connected to the story, but I don't have any idea yet.

3. At the beginning of Chapter Two, Hugo says that he used to dream about living in Greenwich Village, but now that he can actually afford it, it doesn't hold the same appeal. He basically says that success kills motivation. Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not?
I think having a goal is good at motivating, but often when you reach that goal you can feel lost and therefore unmotivated until you find something new to focus on.

4. What do you think of the wishing game Lucy plays with Christopher? Do you think this game and mindset are healthy? Do you agree with Lucy that it gives them hope, or do you agree with the social worker that it just gets their hopes up?
Lucy really wants to adopt Christopher so giving him hope is a good thing if she is really going to try and make it happen. If she were giving him hope without backing it up in any way then that could prove to be very harmful.

5. Why do you think Jack finally started writing again? And what might be his motive in holding a contest for the only copy of the new book?
The most obvious thing that comes to my mind is that he is dying or thinks he will die soon.

Feel free to swap out my The Familiar book with something. I have fallen behind on reading so I may end up leaving that book until Round 3. I've got two other books to get through first so I won't be getting to if for a good few days yet.

391 pages
368 pages
130 pages
512 pages
324 pages
178 pages
541 pages

Current Total: 1,068,392

Preeti wrote: "Keely wrote: "@Preeti - can you add Fugitive Telemetry to your Book Games shelf, please?"

Done. Sorry!"

Thank you!

@Preeti - can you add Fugitive Telemetry to your Book Games shelf, please?

I'm about 60% through The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and I'm really enjoying it. I had to stop to make dinner and my boyfriend is off work tomorrow so I'm not sure I will be able to get more done until Wednesday! Part of me is hoping he will want to nap after dinner so I can keep reading :P

The Mini has begun!

Carrie wrote: "Battle Book finished."

That means we have completed all our battle books for this round!

Preeti wrote: "Do the series books have to be started after a specific date or can they have been started already?

Also, I can read for any of the MPGs. I have a very long Historical Fiction that I was planning ..."

They can be started already but not finished until the mini begins.

I have put The Wishing Game down for a door as Ashley in District 6 has read it and it was added in their shelter pile. Think several other teams had it as a shelter book too.

I have also started one of the chains we need with The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes which is listed at #0 in series. So we would need books that are #1 to #7 in series to complete that chain.

Other books I have that can be used in a chain are
A Game of Thrones #1 in series - been wanting to re-read it. I have many #1 in series as I sure most people do.
A Court of Mist and Fury #2
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest #3
Anne of Windy Poplars #4 up to #8, I would be willing to reread any of the first 3 too.
Hunters of the Dusk #7 up to #11, these are pretty short book so I could do a couple if needed.

I have Four: A Divergent Story Collection which is listed as #0.1-0.4 and I have been meaning to read it for ages. Could be used for a window.

I'm doing much better today so I will be able to get through it. It's also supposed to be pretty hot today so I don't think I'm going to be wanting to do much else anyway!

I had a bit of a rough night last night which has left me tired and not really able to focus. I got a little bit more of Ender's Game done but I'm not really taking it in. I'll try and read a bit more of it later and I should still be able to get it done tomorrow after I've managed some decent sleep.