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

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

Jessi wrote: "Louise wrote: "I never thought about Lucy being Clemency! I just assumed she was the sister of Henry... interesting!"

Anything is possible!! I didn't think of that possibility either!"

I thought of it, and also have been finding it weird that both boys' sisters are barely mentioned at all in Henry's sections.
Lucy could be either one of them at this point. And we still don't know who actually sent her the text about "The baby is 25".

DQs Day 2: Chapter 21 - Chapter 42

6. Libby and her friends find a man's sock in the attic and continue to investigate and look for further signs of the intruder. Would you have continued looking? Why or why not?

Well my first instinct would probably be to assume there had been a random squatter, but probably not call the police about it just yet because the evidence is so thin -- just one sock?! But I would have wanted more back-up than just Miller before sneakily confronting the intruder on his next visit. Maybe I'd have called the lawyer for back-up, or at least some advice.


7. Do you think it was murder or suicide? If murder who do you suspect? Why?

I'm starting to think murder, but am not sure whodunnit. Probably Henry or Phin, but maybe not! I could be wrong about everything! Maybe it was Birdie!

8. What was your reaction to what Lucy did to Michael? Would have called the police or run like she did?

Michael had it coming. The book makes it pretty clear that she didn't mean to kill him, she was just reacting in the moment and wanted his violence rape of her to stop, and in her panic she grabbed out for the nearest object, which was the knife. But that being said, Michael had it coming. Given ONLY the circumstances of needing to get to England quickly, I think I would still have called the police. They would have to believe her about self-defense, what with all the evidence, and it'd have been great to have the asshole officially known to be a rapist. However, given the additional circumstances of potentially having her children taken away from her once her illegal status and ostensible homelessness came out, I'm not so sure. Being separated from one's children is just too awful a fear to face! So this whole thing was a very tough call!

9. What do you think about Phin and what happened at his apartment with Libby and Miller?

Adult Phin is definitely a weirdo creep, but I don't know why. Maybe teenage Phin was too, and we just don't get that from Henry's narrative because Henry is an unreliable narrator?

Bonus: Just what in the heck is actually going on here?

Hah, I don't know! But I think there's a good chance that Henry is an unreliable narrator. Or maybe adult "Phin" is actually Henry, and there's been some sort of Talented Mr. Ripley thing. Henry mentions his own lack of empathy, which can be a sign of sociopathy, but he might also just mean that as a teenager his empathy was underdeveloped and he's fine now?
It's also weird that both boys' sisters are, like, never mentioned at all in Henry's story. Adult Phin says that his is probably now living with their mother (in Cornwall, was it?) but we don't know if that's true. It only means that, if he's telling the truth, he's not the one who texted Lucy that "The baby is 25" at the start of the book. I had been thinking that maybe Lucy was in fact Clemency, but then what happened to Henry's sister?
In short, I D K. o_0
But I am loving the journey!

Okay so I just finished this. WTF?


I think the author has her heart in the right place, but this book does not work. So many unfeminist tropes in a novel that purports to be feminist. So many problems with the writing. The 1st person POV was probably a mistake too, since the MC is rather dim, like, most of the time.

I do actually get why so many people actually loved it, especially teenage girls, but to me, giving this to younger readers is irresponsible. Like Twilight or something.
There are some good things about it -- like why are girls so mean to each other, or why the chief Mean Girl is so mean -- but most of them are far too subtle, and don't go anywhere near far enough for me. There are plenty of other books that cover the subject better, albeit with less outright "horror" elements (which are admittedly well done, as long as you can handwave the crappy worldbuilding that begets them).

I'm giving this 2 stars.

Libby seems intentionally bland, like an "everygirl" cipher that readers are supposed to relate to. I don't always like this technique, but I think it works quite well in this book.

Cat wrote: ""Any book that has been published is going to be a "good book" for someone"
The self-publishing industry has changed that proposition!"

Lol, too true!

I am amused at how most of us like the Henry parts best so far. Glimpses into the past, teen angst, rich people... :)

You don’t wanna look at my last spoiler, I promise!

OMG (view spoiler)[ I wish I could unread that sex scene (hide spoiler)].

DQs Day 1: Prologue - Chapter 20

1. What drew you to this book? Do you normally read in this genre? Have you read anything else by Lisa Jewell?

I've been looking forward to this one since it turned up on NetGalley last year! I don't read all that many mystery/thriller/suspense books, but this is my 3rd book by Lisa Jewell over about 6 years. I like her take on twisted family drama with compelling characters, and this particular book seemed like it might have a bit of a Gothic bent.

2. Soon after the book begins, Libby finds out that she has inherited a large, run-down but extremely valuable house in an exclusive part of London. Wow! What would you do if something like that happened to you?

Regardless of whether something bad had happened in the house, I would be pretty thrilled. I would first envision fixing it up and living in it, but in all honesty that balloon would probably burst after I had time to really consider the practicality of maintaining it, and of having two homes for no good reason (and realistically, I wouldn't be able to move to London). So then I'd sell it and roll around in the money. Or maybe I would convert it to rental spaces? Either way, I would need it to generate some money.

3. The story is told from three different perspectives: Libby, Lucy, and Henry. Which character’s sections are your favorite so far, and why?

I like them all! Maybe either Libby, who seems like an everywoman, or Henry, because the angsty-teenage-boy-with-latent-homosexual-tendencies speaks to me for some reason. Or maybe I just like reading about the past more than the present.

4. Lucy and her children are rather heartbreaking. And Lucy’s ex-husband is a real jerk. Do you agree with Lucy’s decision to go to him with her money and paperwork problems?

It's understandable, since her legal situation is so precarious and she apparently needs to keep a low profile, but I wish she'd have steered clear. Also, once assumes that there were lawyers involved in their divorce proceedings, so why she didn't/wouldn't go through said lawyers to secure some funds, at least, I'm not quite clear on. Wouldn't she have had to disclose some personal details during all that? Or maybe the laws are different in France, or maybe their marriage was never truly legally binging in the first place?

5. From Henry’s sections, we meet the characters David and Birdie. Are they as weird and creepy as they appear to young Henry, or do you think there is more here than meets the eye?

They actually don't seem especially weird to me, just a bit new-agey and opportunistic. Henry's parents seem weirder than the interlopers. I have some theories, but it's still too early to say.

I am a bit into “Spring” now and this book really... has so many inconsistencies. There is stuff that makes zero logical sense when you examine the details.

And also, romance in this context is, IDK, kind of gross and irresponsible. I am not diggin’ it.

Thanks again everybody for participating in my April BOM Takeover! Even if you have no idea what that is and just found this discussion afterwards! 😁

DQs Day 1: Prologue - Chapter 20

1. What drew you to this book? Do you normally read in this genre? Have you read anything else by Lisa Jewell?

2. Soon after the book begins, Libby finds out that she has inherited a large, run-down but extremely valuable house in an exclusive part of London. Wow! What would you do if something like that happened to you?

3. The story is told from three different perspectives: Libby, Lucy, and Henry. Which character’s sections are your favorite so far, and why?

4. Lucy and her children are rather heartbreaking. And Lucy’s ex-husband is a real jerk. Do you agree with Lucy’s decision to go to him with her money and paperwork problems?

5. From Henry’s sections, we meet the characters David and Birdie. Are they as weird and creepy as they appear to young Henry, or do you think there is more here than meets the eye?

We'll catch up :)
I'm still in the "Winter" section.

I wonder if this going to be like an M. Night Shyamalan Village thing where the twist is that the whole thing takes place in a small separatist community in, like, modern 21st century Ohio or something. o_0

Hooray, the day has come!
I will have the first set of questions up by this afternoon (EST).

Laura wrote: "I’ve finally been able to read a bit, I’m 30% in.

I’m not sure what I think. I do agree with Alysa’s comments but there is something about this that makes me curious to read more. ( It’s more int..."

I totally agree with the stuff you put under spoiler. Except, (view spoiler)[ At about halfway through, I think the book is going to start speeding through the girl-against-girl conflict and veer into something to do with het romance, or at least something to do with boys. If I am right about this, it will be rather disappointing. (hide spoiler)]

So.... Mar 1!
What does everybody think of the first few chapters? I am ambivalent. (view spoiler)[The writing is nice. Very evocative. But the characters are all irritating, and I tend to have a bone to pick with books that show extremely, triggeringly (that is totally a word!) misogynistic societies for the sole purpose of having female characters potentially undermining them. I mean, it is 2020. Why are we still only just here, especially in YA fantasy? ETA: I mean, there are books like this that I have liked, but they’ve all had a bit more going for them besides this basic premise, ya know? (hide spoiler)]

Anyway, who thinks the “magic” exists, and who thinks it is just an excuse to suppress women?

Alissa wrote: "I’m in!"

Another Alysa/Alyssa/Alissa! Yay!

Jessi wrote: "How am I just seeing this?"

I think you saw it and just forgot. ;)

ETA: That is... you forgot your MACHETE!

I managed to get my 3rd book in before the end of Feb!


Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits

It had been on my TBR since 2015, but I just randomly got a copy via NetGalley because there is a sequel coming out soon.

I can’t decide whether it’s a dumb book for smart people, or a smart book for dumb people. It was a fun read, but maybe about 1/4 too long, and the adolescent humor could be grating.

sophia wrote: "Alysa wrote: "sophia wrote: "Any interest in any book I've listed below? I'm been in a bit of a reading slump and thought maybe buddy reading would help me push through 😊"

I'd like to read [book:The Women's Wa..."

Yes, that works for me. So, March 12?

How about March 16 -- let's make it a Monday. :D

Jenny wrote: "You could put it under a spoiler tag you know...

[spoilers removed]"

Shirley your alien spoiler is funnier than the book. Which is not funny. Obviously.