Alysa’s Comments (group member since Jun 27, 2015)

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

Audrey Jane wrote: "What bothers me is that I have to suspend disbelief regarding Addie. It's hard to believe Addie is French let alone European. The way she describes Paris in the 2014 timeline is ridiculous, it seems a copy/paste out of a travel brochure.
At some point she says she speaks "Swiss". Which language is she talking about ? Switzerland has 4 national languages (none of which are referred to as "the Swiss language"). As a French living 300 years isn't she supposed to know."

😂
Some of the French/France bits feel contrived for sure. Including the way language is used.
But, hey, Schwab is writing to an American audience that has a kind of set expectation of stereotypes!

Audrey Jane wrote: "Karen ⊰✿ wrote: "Also... and this is my logical brain kicking in... how on earth does someone without a passport get from Europe to the US? And if she did it before the days of passports how did sh..."

Yeah, it seems like the author thinks through details like that pretty well in some scenes but not others. We don't need to have every little thing spelled out, but with stuff like traveling and passports and law enforcement and such, the details would really add to the world-building!

Completion post



I had initially put this down for the MPG YA task, but then marked it for Jackonary instead because I figured Captains would rather not have too many copies of The House in the Cerulean Sea in the Jackonary, but @Caps, if you don't care about that and would rather just get the task group completed faster, feel free to switch it back!

DQ Day 3 - Part 2, IV - Part 3, I (p153)

10. In these parts the darkness comes and checks up on her a few times. What do you make of those conversations - what the darkness says and Adeline's reactions? Who or what do you think Luc is? Do you think something romantic could happen between Luc and Addie?

I think he is not so much "the devil" but some sort of dark pagan spirit. I don't think anything romantic will happen between them, partly because Addie is able to get past his appearance and understand how unhealthy any romantic or sexual entanglement between them would be. That being said, I have a feeling there is going to be a big V. Schwab twist, where Henry is actually the Darkness with amnesia or something. Like, he was SO IMPRESSED with Addie that he had himself incarnated in modern NY just to be with her, or something ridiculous like that. In which case, yes, they hook up. But not knowingly, until after.

11. Addie and Henry meet up for coffee which seems to go well. What do you think will come of this relationship? Will it last? Will it be fulfilling for the both of them?

I think it will be really nice until something goes horribly wrong.

12. Will it be significant considering Henry could utter Addie's name? Would it be possible that Henry made a deal with Luc thus enabling Addie's and Henry's relationship? Do you think they have met or will meet in the story?

I have not read ahead, but see my theory above. Either Henry and Luc made some kind of deal, or Henry IS actually the Darkness but doesn't know it!

13. If you had a lifetime to do as you pleased, what would you do? Where would you go and what would you see?

Well technically I DO have a lifetime: my current one, lol. But if I had one the length of multiple, I would (as many other people have answered) want to travel a lot, spending long periods of time in different places. And I would want to have many great love affairs.

Completion post


On spreadsheet.

Diane ~Firefly~ wrote: "Is she sitting on a suitcase?

"

Sure looks like a suitcase to me!

DQ Day 2 - Part 1, XIV - Part 2, III (p129)

5. At about a fourth of the way through the book, how do you like Addie LaRue as a narrator/person?

Good book character, but not an especially good person. Her situation has made her kind of transcend concepts of "good" and "bad" though, which is interesting.

6. Are you more interested in Addie’s past or present life (or both)? Why?

I think present-Addie is a more interesting human, but past-Addie has a more interesting storyline so far, simply because we're learning how she adapted to her condition and evolved into the jaded figure she is now.

7. How do you think she handled the start of her "curse"?

With obvious naïveté. In that land and time, everyone had their place, and someone without a place was suspect and vulnerable. So Addie's terrible experiences make sense and I think the author did a good job thinking through the details. The part where she could not get a receipt for one week's payment on the room, and then got kicked out of the room when the landlady didn't remember her, was very frustrating, but also showed that Addie was starting to get an inkling of how to think logically about details that could eventually help her.

8. Addie seems to have serial one-night stands with the same person. Why do you think she does this, and do you have any concerns with the potential for manipulating the other party? (I am still thinking on this as a power imbalance).

Definitely manipulative. It reminds me of that part Groundhog Day where the dude uses his repeating time to learn about a woman's background so that he could use it to seduce her the "next" same day. I understand why Addie wants to keep seeing one person over and over -- it's the closest she can get to a real connection! But it's not actually real. There is for sure a power imbalance.

9. In this section, we meet Henry. What is your initial reaction to Henry and his ability to remember her?

It must be relevant that Henry seems to resemble Addie's ideal man (physically), but otherwise I haven't any clue as to what makes his response to Addie so special. He seems like a fairly average hipster dude, though one with a tendency towards depression. I didn't mind getting his POV though. Curious what happens next between them.

Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "Great job, Tina. I'm still working on mopping up those last tasks and bingo. I've got a few up my sleeve but have been holding off incase other team mates have books they want to add. 😊"

Haha, me too! I just added a couple, but now I’ll need to hold off more additions until mid-month, when I’ll have a better idea of how much time I have left.
If it helps any, I found a short book set in Antarctica that I can add for #128 (remote places list) in a pinch!

Started the Addie LaRue BOM today, and I'm also about 2/3 through Parable of the Sower. I haven't had a ton of reading time this week, but now I'm officially on vacation!

The weather this weekend is not super great for the beach, but we should be getting at least a few good sunny days after that. Got my print books ready for outdoors, and my e stuff for the cozy nights. Also boardgames and such.

My time on GR may be sporadic until I get back, but it's for a good cause, lol.

DQ Day 1 - Part 1, I - Part 1, XIII (p67)

1. Other than BOM points what attracted you to this book? The rave reviews? The cover? The blurb?

It's been on my TBR for about a year, which was several months before it came out. Sounded interesting!

2. Have you read any other books by V.E. Schwab/Victoria Schwab? If so, how does this book compare? If not, what do you think of the book so far?

This is actually my 5th book by the author, and the others have been pretty hit-or-miss. Looking back at my shelves, I rated them (in no particular order) 2, 3, 4, and 5 stars! And I gave the 2 star rating to A Darker Shade of Magic, which is one of her biggest hits but (unpopular opinion time) just didn't really work for me. It felt like it was, like, trying too hard maybe?
I'm enjoying this book so far, which makes me hopeful that Darker Shade was an outlier for me.

3. What are your thoughts on Addie and the bargain she made?

Today's centuries-old Addie is quite interesting to me, but the young Addie of olden times seems irritatingly naive and self-absorbed. I mean, sure, it would suck to be forced into a marriage, but she acts like she's the most special girl in the whole world ever, to believe soooo hard that she is meant for some different sort of fate. I doubt that the book's overall message will be an absolute clear-cut version of "Be careful what you wish for, little girls" but there's explicitly an element of that here.

4. Obviously, selling your soul is going too far but if you were able to get a wish granted what would it be?

Hah, does the wish have to be a closer personal one, or can I wish for something like… say… a simple solution to global warming? I would happily sacrifice my soul if it meant saving the ENTIRE PLANET. XD

Yeah that is crazy hot for Vancouver!
It’s quite hot in New York too, but it’s not as unusual as in Vancouver. I do not envy those out West right now. 🥵

Christina T wrote: "Not added because I'm not sure if any of them fit what is left...


Dumplin' by Julie Murphy
Started 5/22/21
Finished 5/24/21
pages: 2..."

Too bad you missed the window to participate in BOM DQs for these for the bonus points, but Equal Rites at least fits for a couple of the remaining Bingo squares… 🙂

Completion Post


Details on spreadsheet

Sally906 wrote: "Stacey wrote: "Is anyone reading a book taking place in South Africa? I've found a few that look interesting. If not, I'll read it after I finish my current book."

Not me - I have a few books set ..."

Go for it, Stacey!

DQs Day 5 (from "Albert sat on his narrow bed..." to End):

21. Wow, Albert has got quite the temper on him! The way he goes about ordering the wizards around and wanting to change the current ways of the Unseen University. Do you think the changes would have worked the way he intended, had he stayed? What do you think happened to Albert's staff though? Also, one has to commend the owners of the Drum though to have passed down a debt for generations.

The passed-down debt was really funny. The whole bit with Albert at the university was funny, though he almost seemed to have had a personality transplant from the Albert we'd seen up to that point. In any case, no, he wouldn't have been able to institute the changes he mentioned. Times have apparently a-changed too much when it comes to wizards.

22. Mort and Ysabell go on an adventure, and the changes in Mort seem to take root completely though Ysabell manages to snap him out of it. Somewhere down the line, the two of them have fallen in love. Did you expect this to happen? Do you think they are a good fit?

I mentioned for an earlier set of DQs that I thought they'd grow to be friends. I vaguely remembered that they ended up as a couple, but was hoping I was wrong. I do think they're a good fit, but I'd also like to see more platonic male-female friendships, so.

23. For someone who doesn't actually feel emotions, DEATH seems a bit put out with Mort, and it culminates in a fight between DEATH and Mort. Would DEATH have killed Mort? Or was he always planning to turn the hourglass around and have the boy start over?

I don't think Death originally planned either. He was just angry and acting on that anger, in the moment. He could had killed Mort if he, Death, hadn't been basically talked down by Ysabell's interjection, but he would have regretted it. The hourglass thing was a fine solution!

24. What did you make of the ending? Was it a satisfying solution to the problem of a reality slightly out of whack? Mort tells DEATH that he has certainly learnt a lot while working as his apprentice. What do you think the most important lesson might have been?

It was oddly satisfying. I loved the "reality pearl" thing. As for important lessons… I actually think the most important thing Mort learned may just have been the simple lesson of not letting ego get in the way of things.

25. Don't you just adore DEATH? *grin* Which was your favourite character or appearance in this book, and why?

I appreciated the Rincewind appearance, though he's not my favorite character. Death himself is probably my favorite character here.
I also liked some of the minor side characters, who for all I know appear in other Discworld books (not having read that many of them yet). Like, people in pubs and that kind of thing. Keli was a fun character too, though I wish we'd gotten to know her better.

26. Did you enjoy this book? If you've read the previous month's BOM, Equal Rites, does it compare? Or not?

I enjoyed this book more this 2nd time around -- and even gave it an extra star -- though I did still experience that same it-all-starts-to-wash-over-me-a-bit phenomenon somewhere around ¾ of the way through.
I like Equal Rites about the same as Mort, though for different reasons. Perhaps I like Equal Rites a hair more.
In between those BOMs I also [re]read The Wee Free Men, which I absolutely adore. So perhaps I'm just partial to later Discworld books. We'll see, as I make my way through more of them.

Completion Post --

I hadn't made a completion post for The Door in the Hedge, but luckily my spreadsheet details were noted anyway. :)

Now I've also finished Mort!
Spreadsheet is updated (including BOM tab).

Shielded by KayLynn Flanders

For fans of Sorcery of Thorns and Furyborn comes a thrilling new fantasy about a kingdom ravaged by war, and the princess who might be the key to saving not only those closest to her, but the kingdom itself, if she reveals the very secret that could destroy her.

The kingdom of Hálendi is in trouble. It's losing the war at its borders, and rumors of a new, deadlier threat on the horizon have surfaced. Princess Jennesara knows her skills on the battlefield would make her an asset and wants to help, but her father has other plans.

As the second-born heir to the throne, Jenna lacks the firstborn's--her brother's--magical abilities, so the king promises her hand in marriage to the prince of neighboring Turia in exchange for resources Hálendi needs. Jenna must leave behind everything she has ever known if she is to give her people a chance at peace.

Only, on the journey to reach her betrothed and new home, the royal caravan is ambushed, and Jenna realizes the rumors were wrong--the new threat is worse than anyone imagined. Now Jenna must decide if revealing a dangerous secret is worth the cost before it's too late--for her and for her entire kingdom.

The Lost Village by Camilla Sten

The Blair Witch Project meets Midsommar in this brilliantly disturbing thriller from Camilla Sten, an electrifying new voice in suspense.

Documentary filmmaker Alice Lindstedt has been obsessed with the vanishing residents of the old mining town, dubbed “The Lost Village,” since she was a little girl. In 1959, her grandmother’s entire family disappeared in this mysterious tragedy, and ever since, the unanswered questions surrounding the only two people who were left—a woman stoned to death in the town center and an abandoned newborn—have plagued her. She’s gathered a small crew of friends in the remote village to make a film about what really happened.

But there will be no turning back.

Not long after they’ve set up camp, mysterious things begin to happen. Equipment is destroyed. People go missing. As doubt breeds fear and their very minds begin to crack, one thing becomes startlingly clear to Alice:

They are not alone.

They’re looking for the truth…
But what if it finds them first?

DQs Day 4 (from "The night shed its early casualties" to "'Now - are we going?'" p200 / 76%):

16. Death trying to get drunk in the Mended Drum ! I felt for him during that scene. Do you think there's a way for Death to be human ? Assuming he wasn't human before like Mort ?

I wouldn't have said so before, but now I think maybe the both of them are metamorphosing through some combination of desire and experience!

17. It seems Mort is not realizing he's changing and slowly becoming the 'grim reaper'. Even his behaviour is changing. People are noticing that "he's becoming more real. Nearly as real as Death". Is it possible that anyone can assume to role of 'Death' ? For example, as weird as it sounds, could Mort eventually reap Death's soul ?

Sure seems like it at this point, though that didn't seem to be what Mort initially wanted, or thought he wanted.

18. "What is it called when you feel warm and content and wish things would stay that way?" (has to be read in capital letters ;)) Death finally finds a job that suits him and brings him happiness. Did you expect he would be offered that kind of job ?

I was not expecting that at all, but it's kind of adorable! I'm not sure whether I buy that the short-order cook job would bring him lasting happiness though.

19. Has your opinion about Ysabell changed in the meantime?

My opinion hasn't changed, as I always suspected there were layers there. I loved that bit about the men helping her with the nodes, rather than her helping them.

20. So it turns out Alberto Malich succeeded in postponing his death for more than 2000 years and knows exactly how long he's going to live: 91 days, 3 hours, and 5 minutes. Do you think he will move on and live what remains of his life in this book? If you had the option, would you want to know how much is left in your 'lifetime' ?

Dunno about Albert(o), but I… dunno about myself either! Part of me would like to know, but the slightly bigger part of me is aware that knowing is a terrible idea because I would be constantly obsessing about it.

DQs Day 3 (from "Keli had been to official functions..." to "Then Cutwell sighted carefully…" p151 / 58%):

Q11. Do you think Mort is physically changing? When it says, "The gargoyle looked up into his face and suddenly felt like a very frightened doorknocker indeed, Mort's eyes glowed like crucibles, his expression was a furnace, his voice held enough enough to melt iron. It didn't know what he could do, but felt that it would prefer not to find out." - it seems these may be actual physical manifestations. With the photo Mort sees soon after with the wizard Cutwell, do you think that was originally Death in the photo before a transformation?

I think Mort isn't changing in a supernatural way, but just coming into himself, the way that awkward skinny boys often do as they grow up. That description is just due to his being impassioned about something, not due to a manifestation of special powers. For the photo, isn't that just Albert? We knew Albert's been "living" with Death for a very long time, and that people don't age there, so.

Q12. What do you think about the plot point where Keli is dead, but is not? Do you think this was a clever twist of the author or do you find it a confusing jumble? How will this affect the story and will Death find out what actually happened and react?

I like it! It's not confusing; in fact it demonstrates some of the internal logic (such as it is) of the Discworld universe. I don't remember the details of how the whole thing gets resolved, but I think it'll still more after this reread. So far I'm actually enjoying the book more this second time.

Q13. There suddenly seems to be sign that Death may be playing matchmaker of sorts with Mort and his 'daughter'. Are you surprised, and what do you think will happen with the relationship between him and Ysabel?

That attempt at matchmaking has been going on since the very beginning, no? They'll ultimately be friends, but probably not more than that.

Q14. Do you think that before Mort was chosen by Death, that he was a normal boy? Do you think he must have some wizard properties buried or are his "abilities" gathered from being Death's apprentice? What do you think about Mort attracting death's attention - what is so special about him?

I think he had wizard potential. He's definitely the type. Not sure how he attracted Death's attention in the very beginning, but since Death seems to have a line on destiny, I guess it was just… destined, innit?

Q15. Mort seems to be getting a bit homesick after his day off, and Death is changing his tune as well. What do you think about Death's new adventures to experience some human experiences, try to understand fun and how humans behave?

It makes sense that Death would feel a need to do this, especially if it's true that he can only copy and not create. Somehow it reminds me a little bit of how Death in Neil Gaiman's comics sometimes gets to be moral for a day, to remind her of how it feels to be human. Gaiman's Death and Pratchett's Death are like two very different takes on the same idea.