Emily’s Comments (group member since Dec 27, 2013)

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

I'm currently reading by Susan Berg, so that could work for S.

Day 6
VII: The Follower - VIII: An Arrangement

Q16: "I'd rather die on an adventure than live standing still." - Lily. This appears to be Lily's philosophy on life. What do you think of this quote/worldview? Are you similar?

I actually really like this view. I think it's nice, also, because an 'adventure' could mean different things for everyone whether it's big or small. I'd like to live this way, but I think I'm nervous to go on my own adventure - maybe one day I'll get over that nervousness.

Q17: It seems as if we know the least about Lily and her background at this point. We know more about Kell, Holland, Rhys, etc. Do you think she has a back story that will be fleshed out more? Or is she just going to stay the sole plucky sassy female character? Any theories?

I think Lila's story will come into play in the future, though perhaps not this book. I think she's playing to big of a part right now to not have her backstory revealed a bit more. However, I do hope she remains a sassy, strong female character that takes crap from no one and that the revealing of her story doesn't change her.

Q18: Do you like the writing style of constantly switching point-of-view between characters between chapters?

I do. I like different POVs for some stories because it adds more to it and it works really, really well for this story. It's also pretty easy to differentiate right away who's POV I'm reading.

Q19: Holland seems very ruthless. Why do you think he did not kill Kell? Or did he intend to?

I don't think Kell wants to. I think he used to be a really good person and perhaps deep down that part of him is still there, but most of that person has been wiped away by the twins who make him do things.

Q20: Does the stone remind anyone of any other story? (The ring in Lord of the Rings immediately came to mind, and the horcruxes in Harry Potter). Do you think the stone CAN be destroyed? Will Kell be able to do it?

Honestly, it didn't remind me of anything at first. It hasn't even crossed my mind for a moment till I read this question. Now that I have, though, it does seem similar to the ring and the horcruxes in different ways.

A Darker Shade of Magic DQs
Day 3: Jan 4

Chapters V Black Stone – VI Thieves Meet

Q11. Lila still intrigues me. First she gives money to the beggar boy and even go after the little rat thieves that rob the boy. But then, while running she can't help herself and steal from a man that is hurt and bleeding! What do you make of her? Are you liking/understanding her?

I actually love Lila. She annoys me sometimes, but for me I like that because it means the author wrote her well and with flaws. Which, of course, is something everyone has. I think it bothers Lila when people who don't have much are stolen from - like the boy. Then she meets Kell who she assumes is drunk and rich and won't miss a bit of change from his pocket. As some have mentioned, she's like a Robin Hood.

Q12. So the package was a trap! But from who? Holland, The Danes siblings, the Red Royals, ... Any guesses/theory?

I've actually finished the book, so I can't common much on any theories. I will say that I was both right and wrong when I had theories before I finished.

Q13. What do you think about Lila and Kell interaction? The 'made up Kell' strip-tease was kind of funny, if we disregard the black eyes and the will power.
Could Lila have magic on her? Will these two characters meet again later on?

I love Lila and Kell together - though I'm not sure I want to see them together romantically, more as a pair just going around kicking ass and being friends. I think they're both polar opposites and yet so similar that they would work together really, really well as a team.

Q14. It was just me, or this black magic is creepy?! The shell breaking and being absorbed into the cutthroat, all the things created by the stone has a taint of black, and the final part with the drunk guy, made me think that maybe the law against carrying things between worlds was very much needed still.

Not just you - it's definitely creepy and more than just a little bit scary.

Q15. Ideas to where the story is going?

Like Q12, I've finished so I don't want to comment on this just in case I'm not as unbiased as I think in my answer and ruin it accidentally.

Title: Point of Retreat
Author: Colleen Hoover
Date Read: 01/05
Pages: 302
Goal: N/A

Characters: Will Cooper, Caulder Cooper, Kel Coehn, Layken (Lake) Cohen, Eddie, Gavin, Kiersten, Sherry
Number of chapters: 18
Setting: Ypsilanti, Michigan
GRs Rating: 4.32
Genre: Romance, New Adult, Young Adult, Contemporary
Cover: White with an orange butterfly
Date Published: Originally 02/25/2012 - This edition 09/18/2012
Misc. Info: Characters perform slam poetry, car accident, surgery

Title: Slammed
Author: Colleen Hoover
Date Read: 1/3/16
Pages: 317
Goal: Read a book that is on the "Best Young Adult Realistic Novels" Listopia List

Do you think something off this list would work?

http://www.ala.org/bbooks/top-100-ban...

It says banned and challenged, but there are a few books on there I have on my to read that I could possibly do after I read Slammed. Or if anyone else sees something on there they want to read.

I'm starting Slammed tonight which is on that Young Adult list for our goal.

Title: A Darker Shade of Magic
Author: V.E. Schwab
Date Read: 1/2
Pages: 398
Goal: N/A
BOM DQs: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Characters: Kell, Delilah (Lila) Bard, Rhy, Holland
Number of chapters: Hard to say - there are 14 sections and each section starts numbering the chapters over again.
Setting: London - Both real world + a parallel world
GRs Rating: 4.04
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Cover: Two red and black circles that are meant to be maps with a person in a red coat crossing from one to the other.
Date Published: 2/24/2015
Misc Info: Magic, blood magic, parallel worlds that they travel between, there's a set of twins, there's a thief

A Darker Shade of Magic DQs
Day 1: Jan 2
Chapters I – II Read Royal, pages 1 - 57

Q1. Kell has a very interesting Jacket. Have you read a story before that has items of clothing like his? If so what story does it remind you of?

Like so many others before me, the only thing I can think of is the invisibility cloak from Harry Potter. Obviously the jacket is way more involved and I can't lie, it's a bit cooler.

Q2. Going between worlds, multiple Londons with names of colors to distinguish them, the year 1819. Are you able to keep track of Kell’s travels? To keep up with the world building?

So far I think I can keep up. It was a lot of information, but Scwab does a pretty good job at explaining the world and the colors help a lot.

Q3. Kell is an Antari (Blood Magic), a dying breed, one of the rare few that can do magic. Kell used his special coins and his blood to travel between worlds. Do you think he is a blood mage? Or does he have a darker kind (shade) of magic since he uses his blood? Or is it just part of Antari training?

I actually don't know a lot of blood mages, so I can't say much on that part. I don't think Kell's magic is darker or the darker shade mentioned in the title because it used to common in their world. Or maybe it's just seen that way by people because it's so different and, I mean, using blood does seem a bit darker and creepier.

Q4. How do you feel about the Collectors and the Enthusiasts?

I think they're annoying and possibly dangerous. I mean, who knows what they would do with these trinkets that Kell gives them!

Q5. Are you enjoying the book so far?

I am really liking it this far into the book. The story seems interesting and a bit different and Scwab's style of writing is kind of amazing.

I guess having all those goalless books paid off for this challenge!! Will those extra 800 points be added to our total now since we filled it out or later when it's over?

WHAT! That will be awesome!! We have the whole month of January to spell the words out, right?

Maybe we ignore the apostrophe since it's not a letter? I'm on mobile right now, album not sure how the spreadsheet looks.

I just realized I put 4 Across and not 4 Down in that post. I think the mark on 4 down is meant to be the ' in G'Day.

Rose wrote: "is someone working on the last Christmas goal?"

I thought someone was? I can't remember for sure.

I think Jenna's answers are right, and then I think 4 (Across) is G'Day and 5 (Across) is England.

So now we just have to spell those words out?

How do they define partnership? Siege and Storm MIGHT work, which I think is on the goalless list - SPOILER ALERT FOR THOSE WHO DONT WANT TO KNOW - Alina, a Grisha, works with the prince, not a Grisha, to bring down the bad guy. There's also a relationship between two MCs, so that might be a partnership?

Slammed is on that list which I was planning on reading next, so if it doesn't get completed before I finish it I can get that done. It might not be till Saturday or Sunday until I can even start it, though.

Title: Ugly Love
Author: Colleen Hoover
Date Read: 12/26
Pages: 322
Goal: Read a book with the main genre as New Adult

Did the new adult goal get filled? I just read Ugly Love, but don't see it on our spreadsheet.

Title: Ruin and Rising
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Date Read: 12/24
Pages: 422
Goal: N/A

Characters: Alina Starkov, Mal Oretsev, Darkling, Genya, David, Tamar, Tolya
Number of chapters: 18
Setting: Ravka
GRs Rating: 4.20
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Romance
Cover: Red with black castle
Date Published: June 17th, 2014
Misc Info: Magic, MCs can summon light/darkness, sacrifice