Audrey Jane’s Comments (group member since May 27, 2014)

Audrey Jane’s comments from the Nothing But Reading Challenges group.

Yesterday this book kept enticing me with its beautiful cover, begging me to buy it. And well, I succumbed, gladly. I will be joining the discussion :)

I completely agree with Beth :)!

I hope everyone had a great weekend. The weekend is almost over here, fortunately it's a recurrent thing ;)
I started reading Norse Mythology today which is an April BOM and I'm loving it so far. In every way Loki is such an interesting character.

Just in case some of our teammates haven't seen it yet. The Book of the Months for May are the following:

--> discussion thread starts May 2nd
--> discussion thread starts May 12
--> discussion thread starts May 22

Regarding the BOM, Kristie and Rachel are correct. Most of the time there are more people that volunteer to write questions than there are discussion days. In that case the mods will use the randomizer. Don't hesitate to volunteer even though another teammate already signed up for it.

Rachel wrote: "I don't know how competitive you all want to be, but I remember looking at the TT scoreboard last time and it was the teams that did the BOM's that were always leading"

It seemed that way to me as well (even though their book count was not the highest). Also you can easily accumulate points for page number (xp) + writing DQs (40p) + participating to the discussion (20p).

Welcome Claire :)! Glad you found your way to us.

I hope you can catch some vitamin D as well Shannon! I've tried audiobooks before but they make me sleepy. Usually I read one book at the time (never more than two).

Hello Carolyn :)!

Welcome Avid Reader, Rachel and Nicole!

@Rachel: I understand the urge to read reviews or spend more time on GR than actually reading. It's especially pleasant to find reviews that voice your thoughts.

@Nicole: I heard great things about Japan, always have to think of cherry blossoms. Amazon freebies bestsellers are dangerous for the TBR shelf :)

Kristie wrote: "Hmmm.... I wonder if we get extra points because my anniversary is on Star Wars day? ;) Yup, really, May the 4th. lol"

I agree with Karen. That must count for something. We can always try to bribe, I mean ask the mods ;)

@Beth: Basically, after carrying out order 66 they rule the galaxy again :)

Beth wrote: "or at least to admit that I don't intend to read them and clear the out..."

I hear you. Often I peruse my shelves and try to reduce my tbr to the books I absolutely want to read, it became more manageable.

@Shannon: Haha, you couldn't resist the challenges as well, they are indeed extremely addictive :)

Ok, I'm back :)
Regarding my tastes in books, I tend to be more picky lately but I read pretty much anything except maybe New Adult and YA.
My favourite authors are Juliet Marillier, Ilona Andrews, Lindsay Buroker and Alexandre Dumas. I will read anything written by them. I'm looking forward to the release of White Hot next month. Currently my favourite ongoing series is Kate Shugak, a mystery/crime series set in Alaska.
Mmm, what else, I'm also a fan of the series Band of Brothers, Black Adder and anything by John Cleese and Marvel (MCU). And I enjoy visiting the British Isles.

I'm looking forward playing this round of TT with you all fellow Sith members ;)

Please don't forget to post your shelf in the thread when you have time. Mine is: Tower Teams V

Nice to meet you Shannon! And welcome aboard the Enterprise...sorry, wrong fandom :)

Here we go. I'm Audrey from Belgium. This is the third time I'm participating to Tower Teams and it's my favourite team challenge because you can read everything you want (no requirements) at your own pace. *ahum* My cat is trying to sit on my keyboard right now so I'm currently in the middle of a battle right here *sigh*

Indeed! Locked and loaded, ready to go 😀 Quickly checking in, I'm currently on the phone (and the dictionary function is killing me, autocorrect and all) but I will report back for duty later this evening.

COUNTDOWN Start Tower Teams V

Duration

Starts May the 4th, at 4 PM (WEST Time) and goes for 12 weeks, ending on July 29th .

Points System

For reading books:
Books between 100 and 160 pages (100 pages or 25,000 words is the minimum) = 5 points
Books between 161 pages and 350 pages = 20 points
Books between 351 and 500 pages = 40 points
Books between 501 and 650 pages = 60 points
Books between 651 and 800 pages = 80 points
Books between 801 and 900 pages = 100 points
Books over 901 pages = 130 points

For current BOM (Book of the Month) discussions:
Writing a day's worth of discussion questions = 40 points
Participating in a current BOM (participating in discussion) = 20 points

(view spoiler)[NOTE: We will accept one team member per book per team for writing a days DQs. If, by three days prior to the BOM starting, we don't have enough volunteers to write all DQs, then we will let more than one team member per team write questions. If we have more people than days sign up (prior to 3 days before start date) we will randomise the volunteers to determine those who can write DQs (hide spoiler)]

DQs 5 Shift & Epilogue

15. Lib has apologised to nearly every character in the story by the time we get to chapter 5. Why do you think she keeps doing and saying the wrong things repeatedly? What does this say about Lib's attitude and nursing abilities overall?
I agree with Geri. She wasn't familiar with this situation, it was difficult for her to cope with the religious fanaticism.

16. Were you shocked by Anna's confession of incest?
The more I read the clearer it became why se felt repentant and wanted to save her brother's soul, especially after the fornication sermon.

17. How did you feel about the adults attempts to divert Anna from her course?
Clearly they failed and only Lib with Byrne's help did something about it. Lib was also the only one to understand how the handle the child and make her eat again.

18. The budding romance between Lib and Byrne, do you feel it added to or detracted from the story? Was it wholly necessary?
It did feel a bit added to, it was too arbitrarily. However it works perfectly and it gives the opportunity to Anna and Lib to start all over and discover a new family.

19. Sister Michael seemed, to me, to be the only positive representation of religion and then only really at the end. What is your your assessment of how religion was used and portrayed in The Wonder?
She and William Byrne. I think Byrne's words are meaningful when he said that God just wants people to live... In the end it comes down to interpretation and putting to question what you read or hear. Poonam has a good answer to this.

20. What did you think about the end of the book?
I think it's fitting. I liked that Anna was given a second chance at life, as well as Lib being able to start over.
@Geri: Indeed, and the fact that the Sister advised Lib to act meek to make it more believable. By underestimating her, Lib got away with it.

21. Lastly, I thought it curious that both Byrne and Anna decided to keep their Catholicism. Especially, when they had the chance claim to C of E which would've made it easier fo them to disappear. After everything that Anna had been through and the clear fact that she didn't want to die, why do you think she kept her faith? And what do you think Ms Donoghue was trying to say? Agreed with Poonam and Geri. As long as it remains 'healthy'. Anna might change her interpretation at a later point in her life.
I've read in the afterword that the author got inspired by what is called the 'fasting girls' in Europe and North America during the past centuries. She writes that those people were fasting for any number of reasons. Some of them because of religion.

DQs 3 Fast & 4 Vigil

7. Dr. Standish recommended they force feed Anna. Lib does not agree. What do you think?
I understand Lib that it would break Anna. I'm of the opinion that forcing anyone to do something has often the opposite effect. It would be easy to force feed the child and then dismiss the reason why she did it. I think it's important for Lib to understand Anna's actions. I believe it has something to do with her brother Pat.

8. We learn that Anna's brother, Patrick, died of a digestive ailment and her parents put Anna in his bed to warm him. He died by morning. What effect would this have on a child, do you think?
I think her brother's loss impacted her deeply. However I want to find out why she feels like repenting.

9. The potato famine and the idea that fasting and not asking for more is an admirable thing has been mentioned. Could this explain the fascination with a little girl who does not eat? Any other reasons?
No, she was brought up during the famine and maybe she and her brother learned to be spare with food. So she might eat less but not abstain from eating completely.

10. What are your thoughts about the journalist, William Byrne? Why do you think he was able to recognize Anna was starving when Lib, a nurse, did not?
He seems like a decent person doing his job. At the beginning he came for the story he had to submit before the deadline but afterwards he realised the situation is more serious than merely a scam. He had to closely study the potato famine and its effects on the people when he was 16. As a nurse during the Crimean War, Lib might have seen malnutrition and starving people. However I felt that she was in denial and didn't want to acknowledge the truth about Anna. I also think her vision was clouded by her prejudices about religion. William's words were a wake up call for her.

11. Sister Michael gives her reason for not helping Anna as she is "just a nurse". What do you think of her statement? This statement was echoed by the doctor when Lib tried to alert him to Anna's decline. Do you think Lib should have done things differently?
I feel that the Sister and Lib discarded themselves as nurses caring for the patient's well-being and purely saw themselves as watchers/guards. Lib brought this up a multiple times and I agree when she said it had a vicious effect of enforcing something they as nurses were not standing for. Regarding the quack calling himself a doctor, frankly Lib shouldn't waste any time on him.

12. I found all the theories about how people can live without food interesting. A person was actually a changeling, a young girl absorbed menstrual blood, and the evolution to a reptilian physiology. Did you find these interesting too? Are there other aspects of the book you are enjoying?
They were ridiculous, especially the menstrual one *snort* If I was Lib I would have found these theories more entertaining if a child's life wasn't in danger.

13. Anna attended a sermon about fornication, took the host from the priest and refused to eat after. Do you think this has something to do with why she won't eat?
I thought it had something to do with Pat. I'm looking forward to find out what happened that day.

14. After finding out how Anna has been fed for months, do you think Anna understood what was happening? Why do you think she refuses this "manna from heaven" now?
It seems that she was fed up with pretending. I also feel that she's letting herself go.

DQs 12th of April - Chapters 1 (Nurse) and 2 (Watch)

1. What are your opinions about the main character Lib Wright? Do you think her treatment of Anna is too harsh?

2. Do you believe Anna is a scam or is she telling the truth? Also are the O'Donnell family and Sister Michael trustworthy?

3. Religion plays a large part in the story. We learn to know Lib's point of view on religious practices and way of thinking. Do you think that's all it is, Anna fasting due to her religious upbringing or do you think there's more?

4. Dr. Standish diagnosed Anna with hysteria. Do you believe that's the case? What about Lib's observations of swelling, fluid retention, coloured spots etc on Anna's body?

5. Considering the end of the second chapter, do you think Lib's attitude towards the O'Donnell family will change?

6. How do you like the pace and writing style so far? Any thoughts about the setting?

So far I'm enjoying the storyline and pace although the writing style throws me off sometimes. I'm going to post my questions tomorrow if that's ok (my eyes are aching atm).

Thank you Mods, I'm good with it too :)

Company of Liars by Karen Maitland

The year is 1348. The Black Plague grips the country. In a world ruled by faith and fear, nine desperate strangers, brought together by chance, attempt to outrun the certain death that is running inexorably toward them.
Each member of this motley company has a story to tell. From Camelot, the relic-seller who will become the group's leader, to Cygnus, the one-armed storyteller . . . from the strange, silent child called Narigorm to a painter and his pregnant wife, each has a secret. None is what they seem. And one among them conceals the darkest secret of all--propelling these liars to a destiny they never saw coming.

The Black Company by Glen Cook

Some feel the Lady, newly risen from centuries in thrall, stands between humankind and evil. Some feel she is evil itself. The hard-bitten men of the Black Company take their pay and do what they must, burying their doubts with their dead. Until the prophesy: The White Rose has been reborn, somewhere, to embody good once more. There must be a way for the Black Company to find her... So begins one of the greatest fantasy epics of our age—Glen Cook's Chronicles of the Black Company.