Eunice’s Comments (group member since Sep 19, 2016)

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

I can do "the rest".

Here are my options:
The Rest of Us Just Live Here
The Rest of the Story
The Resting Place
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

Michelle's Empty Nest wrote: "There's also Enyo's Warrior for free on KU.


-IOR might be more difficult?"

I'd say they're both pretty difficult.

The page points column doesn't have any formulas in it yet

megan wrote: "Sorry I failed to log my last book last night. I thought rounded ended later on the 15th. Not have a computer on the weekend always gets me with Good Reads."

Me too. And it was a 400-page one too

DQ Participation Tracking

Day 1: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 2: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 3: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 4: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 5: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Day 5: Chapters 40 - 56

20. Cade goes to each of the other travellers and has final words with them. Do you think he learned any new information about his travellers? Or did he learn something about himself?
I don't remember this at all, which goes to show that this is as unmemorable as can be.

21. The journey to The Seven Brothers is full of many challenges. Did this journey remind you of any other quest you've read?
Not any specific title, but it's your generic epic adventure to save the world.

22. We now find out about the Pandorals, how they were using The Seven Brothers as vessels. Quite interesting how this was accomplished. Did this surprise you how they were formed ? What did you think of why they came to acquire the red soil?
Wasn't expecting it, but the moment that was revealed, it made sense since they're attuned to the world of the Pandorals. I just don't know if that was how they intended things to be. I am thinking that perhaps their world really is dying, and this world just had to have the means for them to survive. The Pandorals just weren't planning to do it the nice way.

23. It was determined that Cade be the one to use the apparatus. What attunement do you think he chose?
They mentioned that he chose Fortunal magic as an ode to what he used to pretend to be.

24. What was your overall impression of this story? What was your favorite part of the story? Will you read the next in the series or try one of the authors other series?
Overall, I am meh about it. I like the part at the boat the most, as well as the part where they defeated the Seven Brothers, but I felt quite lost by the end of the book. I don't think I'll likely read the author's other books.

Day 4: Chapters 28-39

15. The way the different characters react to the trek through the magic wasteland is interesting. With all the magic that flows through this world, why do they not have transport spells? Did this trek remind you of any other stories?
You raise a great point. No spatial magic. Lots of fantasies do epic adventures.

16. We keep being reminded (by the narrator) that the wanderists are not good guys. Do you agree with this assessment?
No one's the good guy here. This world overall is pretty shitty.

17. What is your impression of the seven brothers? The Pandorals are benevolent? Really? Do we believe that?
Yeah, no. I don't believe that at all. Don't even need to meta logic to know that they're likely not gonna be nice people. Their own world's gods aren't even nice, what makes you think the Pandorals will be?

18. So. We get to see the apparatus. What would you have done with that temptation?
Thunderer sounds cool if I get to use it on myself.

19. Is anyone who they say they are? Did you expect Mr. Bones?
No, I didn't expect THAT, but I knew they were probably going to be important to the story somehow.

Day 3 DQs
Chapters 19-27

11. The fantasy genre is known for its world building. How do you feel about the world building in this book? How does it compare to other fantasy novels you’ve read?
I'd say pretty meh to average. You've got all sorts of magic systems, and it seems that most wonderists stick to their own type of magic and don't know much about others. How do these people get to learn magic then? How do they know where to go? But I guess that's not the point of this book. It's more about the adventure and the characters.

12. In this section we meet Cade’s former teacher Hazidan. What do you think of her character? Did you ever have a favorite teacher and were they similar to Hazidan in any way?
I think she's cool, but I do wonder how she was able to last till retirement with her "heretic" views, even though she ended up having to live in the Infernals' land at the end. She reminds me of the literature teacher I had in high school for one year. Very intelligent and witty.

13. Chapter 25: Friends in Low Places had a pretty big reveal about the Celestials plans and how they’ve been herding Cade this whole time. How did you feel about this twist?
That is some deranged scheming, to be able to know Cade's every step in order to lead him this far and even plan out who his teammates would be. It's somewhat hard to believe, particularly on how Lucien could have been in on it and also how Fiddick fits into all this. Did he not know he was gonna have to die?

14. At this point I think we have the whole team together: Is one of them your favorite?
Not really, none of them are very likeable. Maybe Galass because she's the most innocent one of them all.

Day 2 DQs
Ch 9 to 18

6.) Did Galass turning into a blood mage and Fidick being the cause of Lucian's death (I assume that's what the black cloud that left the tent did) surprise you? Or were you expecting their bit in the story to be over and just a footnote about Cade's character?
Yes, it did surprise me. I wasn't sure if they'd have a major role or not, but even then, I definitely wasn't expecting that. If anything, I was expecting Galass to be the culprit, not Fiddick.

7.) We learn about more magic types and there's pretty much any type of magic you can dream up. What type of magic you like to have or what animal would you like an affinity with?
Something to do with shadows maybe. It's both defensive and offensive. I normally think it's cool to have an affinity with animals, but if I need to adopt any animal characteristics, not sure I want that.

8.) Is anyone else's favorite character Mr. Bones? Just me? mkay.
I can't say Mr. Bones is my favorite character, but I do like him. You can't fault any pet characters. They're just inherently adorable and endearing.

9.) At this point I think it's clear Cade is a fallen Glorian of some sort, likely a Justicar. Do others agree with my guess here or do you have other thoughts?
Yes, I completely agree on both. Would also explain why the Justicars keep following him around if he used to be one of them.

10.) Assuming my guess in Q9 is right, why do you think Cade got the heave ho from the Glorians?
He probably did something "heretical". From what we've seen from the Glorians, it's probably some hit on their religious sensibilities.

Day 1 DQs
1. The book has the MPG Dark Fantasy. Do you like this genre in general? If so, do you have any favourite authors or books?
I've only read a few Dark Fantasy books, but I enjoyed the ones I've tried. I like the dark humor, and I also like morally grey characters and anti-heroes.

Picture a wizard. Go ahead, close your eyes. There he is, see? Skinny old guy with a long straggly beard. No doubt he's wearing iridescent silk robes that couldn't protect his frail body from a light breeze. The hat's a must, too, right? Big, floppy thing, covered in esoteric symbols that would instantly show every other mage where this one gets his magic?

2. The book starts with the quote above. Is this your mental image of a wizard, too? Or something different? :)
Honestly, yes. That's the stereotypical image of a wizard and always will be even if many media tends to forgo that image for their wizard characters.

3. And the author lands us in the middle of a siege (ideal for the Book Games, right? ;) with 2 of the main characters Cade Ombra and Corrigan Blight. Cade is narrating what is happening and offering us his views on good and evil, the part they are playing and how they "win" this particular siege.
Do you think it's a strong start to the book? Has it got you intrigued?
Getting straight into the action is always a strong start, and yes, I'm intrigued. The rambling-type narrative also helped too; it eased me into what's happening, as well as give a brief insight into the setting and magic system. Or at least, just enough to not feel lost as to what's happening.

4. As an extra incentive & entertainment, the Ascendant Lucien offers young girls and boys (sublimes) to the wanderists after the siege. We get introduced to Fiddick and Galass and learn that Cade decided to kill Lucien. We can actually start putting some pieces of Cade's character together. What do you think about him at this point?
He's a morally grey character with a seemingly strong sense of justice concerning some things. He calls himself and his team the bad guys, although with how he talks about the good and bad guys, I get the feeling that he used to be one of the "good guys".

5. Some demonic highlights to this introductory part: Tenebris the demon, with whom Cade as an "infernalist" mage trades with to get his spells.
What were your impressions of Tenebris? How do you find the "religious/magical" system of the Infernals and the Celestines?
Despite being a demon, he's quite likeable. I've read one of the Spencer books by Ace Atkins recently, and Tenebris kinda reminds me of the main protagonist, in that he has a sleazy gangsta vibe but kinda has a heart.

I think the religious/magical system is set up such that everyone's bad, which tbf is the usual setup for dark fantasy books. On one side, you have the uber religious fanatics but way worse since it seems their divine beings are actually helping them; on the other, you have the anarchist/hedonist guys who do whatever they want to antagonize the other side.

I'll post my books soon in the sheets

Hello, everyone! I've always enjoyed NBRC's team challenges, so I've got no doubt this won't be an exception. It's been a very long while since I read and watched the Hunger Games series; I plan to reread it sometime but likely not anytime soon.

For the superpower that I want, I'm honestly torn between teleportation anywhere in the world or time manipulation. Bookoutlet and most indie nail polishes are in the US, and I'm sad about it. But then, 24 hours a day is not enough, and if I could stop time, I could read more books.

My shelf: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

Completed: 0/27

126 - The Way of Shadows
455 - Stolen Enchantress
499 - Fatal Isles
409 - The Holiday Ex-Files
613 - The Book of Cold Cases
755 - The Empress of Time
789 - Grave Mercy
794 - The Alchemyst
818 - Ordinary Monsters
894 - Come Sundown
1015 - Lay Down My Sword And Shield
1128 - The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
63 - Dark Matter
287 - Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti
966 - Murder at Wedgefield Manor
878 - Presumed Innocent
263 - House of Shadows
404 - Child of Light
356 - Without a Trace
677 - Practical Magic
174 - Lock Every Door
271 - Into the North
1002 - Reflections and Dreams
361 - The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida
1130 - Happy Place
96 - Paranormalcy
300 - The Red House Mystery

Goal: 0/20

1.

2016
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2017
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Lisa - (Aussie Girl) wrote: "Day 3 DQs

9. What are your thoughts about the saint? What is the significance of her severed hand? I have to admit that I'm still confused about who she actually is.

To tell the truth, the Saint..."

About the Saint, while Marra thought it was a saint, my understanding is that the narrative was implying that it wasn't a saint at all. It's just that Marra perceived them to be saint-like at that time and only realized who they really were later on. The book didn't say who though, and it bugged me.

Carrie wrote: "Eunice wrote: "Day 1 DQs

1. Marra clearly struggles with being a princess. Early on, she states that she had not realized "a nun had more power than a princess, that she could close a door". I fou..."

Ohh, that's interesting! I'm not very familiar with English or Scandinavian folklore, but it sounds like an intriguing rabbit hole to jump into lmao

Day 3 DQs

9. What are your thoughts about the saint? What is the significance of her severed hand? I have to admit that I'm still confused about who she actually is.

10. Is it just me, or did anyone else wonder about the thief-wheel after the prince was killed? I thought they were going to do something about it later on, but apparently not.

11. Do you have a favorite character among our motley crew?

12. Was there any particular fairy tale that came to mind as you were reading this? This is clearly styled similar to a fairy tale but with many of the usual elements of a fairy tale being subverted.

Day 2 DQs

5. Bone dogs, drowned boys and magically pulled teeth and all quite vividly described. Where does the contents of Nettle & Bone sit on your horror meter ? And how about that demon chicken. What role does the wry humour have in the story?
Everything's just on the eerie level because we've encountered anything truly dangerous, mainly due to the dust-wife's help. I like the humor. It is a counterpoint to the horror and also helps make the characters seem more charming.

6. Enter our hero Fenris. The Magic Moth indicated that Marra needed him to complete her quest. What do you think Fenris' role with be?
He's definitely helped out a lot throughout their journey from the Southern Kingdom to the Harbor Kingdom and then to the Northern Kingdom, both for his communication skills and his physical capabilities. He's also clearly Marra's love interest. Maybe he's going to be her knight in shining armor too, once they enact their plan of killing the prince.

7. The Goblin Market. Thoughts? How important do you think the events that happened there will be to the plot moving forward.
Scary place. I would not want to be there during its more dangerous periods. I would say that's the creepiest part of the book, and we only "saw" it during one of its safer periods.

8. By Chapter 14 Marra has a merry band of supporters ready to battle King Vorling. Agnes, Dust wife, Fenris, Bone Dog and last but not least the Demon Chook. Who do you think will survive and who will be become tragic collateral damage?
I wish everyone survives. I hope this is a happily ever after with no buts.

Day 1 DQs

1. Marra clearly struggles with being a princess. Early on, she states that she had not realized "a nun had more power than a princess, that she could close a door". I found this a very striking quote in that we always think of royalty as being powerful and living lives of luxury. What did you think of this quote? Do you believe that Marra is happier at the convent than she could ever be at the Palace with her family?
I can understand what she meant by this quote. As they also say, with great power comes great responsibility. Royalty grants them a degree of privilege in their everyday lives such as in food, dress, and money, but it also comes with the cost of having the kingdom's fate resting on their shoulders. In this case, I feel like the tradeoffs are a lot heavier than the benefits. Being born into the royalty of such a small, vulnerable kingdom isn't a very fortuitous lot to get in life, especially as a woman. I think it's fortunate for Marra that she's the youngest; she wasn't the first or second choice to get married off, so she was able to escape the fate of her sisters. At the convent, Marra needs to work, but she is much freer to move and do whatever she wishes, not needing to think about her royal status.

2. I am big fan of fables and myths. I love learning about new things. Before reading this book, I had never heard of a dust-wife or a church grim. Were you familiar with either concept? What do you think about them? Is it comforting to think of a dust-wife or church grim keeping watch over the dead or do you find it creepy?
Never heard of dust-wives before. I did a quick search on it, but it seems like it is just the author's invention. I feel like it's just a cozier terminology to pertain to necromancers, but based on what we've read so far, most so-called dust-wives are simply herbalists/alchemists, and only the powerful dust-wives have necromancer powers like the one accompanying Marra.

3. Were you bothered to discover that Marra's mother, the Queen, was aware that the Prince had murdered Marra's oldest sister? Does that make you dislike the Queen or does it make you respect her more in that she is looking out for the welfare of her kingdom?
I was a bit bothered, but I think it shows that she is a strong queen whose first priority is her kingdom. I'm sure that she's grieving in private but has to show perfect composure to the public, including her children, because what can she do? She is in an incredibly disadvantageous position to seek an explanation from the Northern Kingdom. However, I get the sense that Damia and Kania already knew their responsibility early on, as well as the fate that is likely to befall them, especially Kania.

4. It's early in the book yet, but part of my favorite thing about this book is Bone Dog and the chicken with a demon in it. Have you found yourself growing attached to either one? Do you think either one will play a significant role in the story?
Animals usually make books more enjoyable in my opinion, and this one is no exception. I'm not sure what to think about the demon chicken so far.

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