Bernadette’s Comments (group member since May 28, 2020)

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

I'm having dinner tonight with my 2 best friends from high school. One is in from California visiting her family. Since she is on the West coast and we are on the East coast we don't get together very often. We've been friends for 45 years🥰

Day 1 DQ’s

1- Although Valentia feels shame in her actions to confront Luzia and her magic she still threatens her to use it at her dinner party. What were your thoughts and do you feel bad for Valentia and her desperation?

I'm not sure I really felt bad for Valentia but I understood her actions - she wants to keep up with the Joneses.

2-Valentia did not want Luzia to leave the house and gave her extra chores. Why do you think Valentia did not want Luzia to leave the house?

She didn't want anyone else to be able to speak to her or give her the ability to leave her employ.

3-How did using music and song to make Luzia magic work make you feel or think of.

Nothing in particular.

4- Don Victor(De Paredes) shows up at Casa Ordobos to make sure Luzia has a room with and even hints at having her join him if not. Why do you think having Luzia in her own room benefits either of them?

Likely both benefits from it - Luzia gets some privacy and space and Don will likely have her favor.

Lisa wrote: "No, not an easy one. I think they'll successfully force us to go with more letters. Normally I'd be a bit more competitive, but I also don't want us to have to read books we're really not going to ..."

I agree - the 5 points are not going to get us out of last place. Let them be difficult!

Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "The Green Mile was finished today - very good. A favorite of audio from King in general. Now I started a short one that isn't as good but should be done tomorrow in between work meetings. Bernadett..."

I'm glad you enjoyed it! Luckily, I was able to borrow the audiobook from the library. Another great King audiobook was Joyland

Erin, are they really allowed to send us back the same book? That dooesn't seem fair. Why don't they read Nmemesis?

And they really had more than one than one person on their team that WANTED to read The N. M. E.???

Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "Hm, I found this one on Kindle Unlimited I could read -

NME: From The Bender Squad to The Gremlins; Inside Newcastle's Football Hooligan Firm

Still browsing for other possibilitie..."

Sounds like an awful book. An American football fan would need to remember it's soccer😂😂😂

Erin *Proud Book Hoarder* wrote: "Anyone have any books or specific plans they want to do the last four weeks of the challenge?

This week I'm going to work on the audiobook for The Green Mile, start Mockingjay, and work on some ra..."

I loved the audiobook of The Green Mile!

I finished my last mini book🥳

I found a short Nature book I can read!

I also don't think Shannon's book has nature as a MPG

I'll see if I can find a Nature book.

Rachel wrote: "Good morning everyone! Just checking in from a sweltering Washington, D.C.

I'm looking forward to hiding inside and enjoying my AC. I'll finish up all my books for the mini this weekend."

We finally got some rain in Philadelphia, and it's only supposed to be 85 degrees today and tomorrow! Back to the high 90's next week though🥵

Ingeborg wrote: "MPG (Main Pain Genre)

I love this mistype, Erin. Sometimes in challenges, MPGs are in fact a pain!"

😂😂😂😂

Just finished my reread and Part 3- The Enemy

I am not a heavy action reader, so this is my least favorite part of the book. I like Finnick and how the other tributes banded together to help move the rebellion along. I don’t like that they had older players in the games. I did like the cooperation that happened in stealth ways during the game. I forgot about the field being a clock. Looking forward to reading the next book again.

There are rumors of rebellion and since Katniss and Peeta won the Hunger Games in defiance they have become the faces of that rebellion.

The Capitol announces the 75th Hunger Games with a twist – tributes will be selected from the surviving victors of the previous Games. As District 12's sole female victor, Katniss must compete alongside either Haymitch or Peeta. Haymitch is chosen and is unable to stop Peeta from volunteering in his place.

This book is less action packed than the first but a lot more emotional.

At the Capitol, Haymitch urges Katniss to find allies, but she bonds with the weakest tributes. In the televised interview, Katniss's stylist Cinna has Katniss' wedding gown transformed into a black dress with feathers made to resemble a Mockingjay.

No matter what anyone says, I how earnest Peeta is with his love of Katniss even if he doesn't believe she could ever feel the same. He gives her his love and devotion with no expectations. So, to stop the Games, Peeta lies in the interview that Katniss is pregnant.

Katniss knew Cinna would get himself into serious trouble with his dress this design and before Katniss is sent into the arena, she watches helplessly as Cinna is dragged out by Peacekeepers.

When I first read this series, I didn’t listen to audiobooks at all. I listened to Hunger Games and didn’t really like it as much as did the first time I read it. It was recommended that I read this book, not listen to it, so that is what I am doing. I’m glad I made that decision, the reading is easy, at least through the 1st four chapters and I’ve heard mixed comments about the audiobook narrator.
It will interesting learning about the other Districts on the Victory Tour.
Some interesting things have already happened:
• Katniss’ meeting with President Snow (yes, I do picture him as the recently deceased Donald Sutherland) and when she tells Haymitch
• When she realizes that if she wants her and her loved ones to survive, she is bound to Peeta & the Hunger Games for the rest if her life.
• Katniss and Peeta visiting District 11: very profound. President Snow wasn’t kidding about the need to keep the Districts calm.

@Erin - I'm currently reading Catching Fire. Feel free to move it to the Door if that works better.

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?

Absolutely. I just wish I had a better memory for remembering things I read.

11. We finally get the first riddle. Did you guess it before Lucy did?

I did not.

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?

Sleazy lawyer. I am curious about who his client is though.

13. do you have to keep reminding yourself that the "contestants" are adults, not children?

I don't but the whole thing has child-like feel with grown-up issues attached.

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?

I loved his letter. It seemed he understood her and it was heartfelt.

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 find the island very fascinating and love how everything is tied to the clock. It would love to visit it. It's very clever.

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?

They wouldn't be in the book if they weren't important.

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?

There is definitely a relationship growing. The age difference when she was a child would have been wrong but the fact that they are adults now I don't see that because they met earlier is a problem.

Woohoo! Off from work until Monday for the 4h of July holiday and my office is closed on Friday as well.

Of course, we have had beautiful weather Monday to Wednesday, and it's supposed to be hot & humid through Monday with big chances of rain & thunderstorms.