Heli’s Comments (group member since Jan 23, 2015)

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

Completion post:

Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost
Date read: 6/15/2021
Pages: 355

Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
#133 MPG Vampires

Bingo:
B4 Vampires in the book

Jackanory:
Title
Ch Bones
Graves on the cover.

Completion post:

Varjojen huone by Erik Axl Sund
Date read: 6/12/2021
Pages: 364

Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
Jackanory:
Children eavesdropping on the cover.
MPG Mystery/Thriller


A Matter of Love and Death: a historical mystery you don't want to miss by Caron Albright
Date read: 6/13/2021
Pages: 230

Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
Jackanory:
Title
Woman drinking a cocktail on the cover.

Completion post:

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
Date read: 6/10/2021
Pages: 304
BOM/Participation: Yes
Day 1 - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 2 - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Day 5 - https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
BOM/Writing DQs: No

Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
Jackanory:
Title
Cat/plane/car on the cover.

DQs Day 5 - The Game - end

21. Even though Nora loved her life with Ash and Molly she still returned to the library. Were you surprised that she didn’t stay? Did you want her to stay in that life?

It was the life she was most comfortable with. I would have loved for her to be able to stay.

22. When Nora reconnects with her brother Joe she finds out that the reason he had been avoiding her was nothing to do with her decision not to continue with the band. I think that Nora’s experiences in her other lives helped her to accept that this was the truth. Her old self was so wrapped up in thoughts that she was responsible for other people’s happiness I feel she may have thought he was just trying to be kind due to her suicide attempt. What are your thoughts?

We can never be certain of other people's motives. We can't hear their thoughts. Communication is the answer.

23. Were you happy with the ending? Where would you like Nora’s story to go next?

Yes. It was a good ending. Nora has her life open in front of her. Maybe Ash, maybe something else entirely.

24. Nora got to experience so many lives and possibilities - different careers, different relationships and the chance to live in places all over the world. If you were able to experience another life what would you want to experience?

I would like to experience life without anxiety and regrets.

25. Did you enjoy the book? Was there anything in the story that resonated with your own life? Is there a message you will take away with you?

I enjoyed it. My life is completely different from Nora's.
The message would be: your life is what you decide to make of it. And you have the power to make the change.

Bonus: While reading the story certain parts reminded me of films and TV shows I’ve enjoyed. Films like ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ and ‘Sliding Doors’ or tv shows like ‘Sliders’ and ‘Quantum Leap’. Are there any films, shows or books that you were reminded of?
Quantum Leap and It's a Wonderful Life <3

DQs Day 3: The Tree That Is Our Life - Wild and Free (59%)

11. Regarding the system error, that occurred when Nora tried to return to the library after that speech. Do you think Nora could have trouble returning to the library from one of the next lives that she visits?

I think there is a real possibility of that happening.

12. But you will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life. (p. 151) Do you think Nora is going to "find the meaning of life", "be happy forever in a parallel life", or "will want to die and leave the library forever"?

She is not comfortable in her parallel lives, because she has no idea what small and big things happened to her to get her there. She does not know many of these people or they are completely different from what she remembers. I just hope she can find a good solution to that problem.

13. Are you surprised about Nora meeting Hugo, another Slider, as he calls people like them in the in-between?

Yes. I did not see that coming.

14. For Nora it's a library, for Hugo it's a video store. What do you imagine would your variant of the in-between be? (And obviously you are not allowed to say library now, because I'm guessing most of us would go with that answer. Be creative and let me know what else you would feel comfortable with.)
For me it would be my high school history teacher and his classroom.

15. We finally get to see Nora's life as a rock star. In what direction do you think this will go? Is it going to be the life Nora is happiest with and stays the longest/forever? Or do you think that she's going to leave it rather soon again?

She does not know any of the songs, but she can learn. I don't think she'll stay for very long.

DQs Day 2: The Penultimate Update - Peppermint Tea (39%)

6. Were you surprised that Nora's second choice was related to her cat? What did you think of the outcome?

Yes. I was surprised. The outcome felt comforting.

7. How did the reality of Nora's Australia line up with what you imagined it would be like?

It was nothing like I imagined it would be. Very disappointing.

8. What did you think about the similarities between Nora's life in Australia versus her original life?

It's not a big surprise that she would have mental health issues in her other lives too.

9. On the surface, Nora's life with a swimming career seems to be the most successful so far. Do you think the positives will outweigh the negatives this time around?

She does not feel very comfortable in this life. Her father is alive, but they don't seem that close.

10. Any predictions for how Nora's speech will go in the next chapter?

I hope she does not freeze or faint. I don't know what she'll talk about since she's not familiar with her own life at all.

DQs - Day 1

1. Were you planning to read this book before it became a BOM? If so, what drew you to it?

It was already on my TBR, so I would have read it eventually.

2. What do you think of Matt Haig’s writing style (and those short chapters!) and how he has set the story up so far?

I had a hard time concentrating at first. The short chapters confused me.

3. What are your thoughts on Nora? Are you attached to her yet?

Not yet. I'm not sure if I like her or not.

4. If you were somehow able to, would you want to see all of the different outcomes that could have played out in your own life? Or would you rather just leave things as they are without ever knowing?

I would rather leave things as they are. It sounds far too stressful to know the different outcomes.

5. What did you think about Nora’s first glimpse at a road not taken? Were you surprised by which book she chose to open first or by how quickly it disappointed her?

I think it was quite obvious what her first book would be. I would have chosen that one myself. But I had no idea it would be such a disappointment.

Completion post:

It Started with a Secret by Jill Mansell
Date read: 6/9/2021
Pages: 416

Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
#41 Yellow cover 69,2 % according to TinEye

Bingo G4 - Guitar. Majella's blind date Niall brings a guitar for their date and performs his own music.

Jackanory
Title
Setting - beach
Umbrella on the cover.

Completion post:

He Who Fears the Wolf by Karin Fossum
Date read: 6/8/2021
Pages: 304

Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
#191 Spell out Sky - K

Jackanory:
Title
House/trees on the cover
Setting: Norway

Completion post:

This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor by Adam Kay
Date read: 6/5/2021
Pages: 285

Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
#24 Book with footnotes/endnotes
#38 Science MPG
#191 Spell out SKY - K

Bingo
G6 Footnotes


Shh… It's Our Secret by Lizzie Chantree
Date read: 6/5/21
Pages: 280

Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
Jackanory:
Title
Microphone/speaker/shoes/sunglasses on the cover

Completion post:

The Treatment by C.L. Taylor
Date read: 6/5/2021
Pages: 299

Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
#164 Young Adult MPG

Jackanory
Set in a residential reform academy
Title

Completion post:

Paperijoutsen by Anna-Kaisa Linna-Aho
Date read: 6/3/2021
Pages: 316

Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
Bingo: F2 - Mirror on the cover
Jackanory:
MPG Historical/Historical Fiction
Mirror on the cover.



Mad About the Boy by Helen Fielding
Date read: 6/3/2021
Pages: 336

Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
#193 Epistolary novel list: #480 on the list

Bingo A7 - Bridget's son Billy plays football
Jackanory:
MPG Romance, Humor
Title

Completion post:

One Shot by Lee Child
Date read: 6/1/2021
Pages: 510

Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
#146 Spell out TRUTH - R Reacher
#236 Vehicle powered by engine on cover

Jackanory:
Title
Ch Jack Reacher


Jaws by Peter Benchley
Date read: 6/1/2021
Pages: 336

Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
#55 from Movies better than book listopia: #25 on the list

Jackanory:
Title
MPG Horror

Completion post:

Phantom Evil by Heather Graham
Date read: 5/29/2021
Pages: 363


Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
#21 Romance MPG

Jackanory:
Title.
Set in New Orleans.

Completion post:

Old Enough to Know Better by Jane Wenham-Jones
Date read: 5/28/2021
Pages: 400

Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
#214 Dog on the cover

Jackanory: Describe protagonist/antagonist/secondary characters
= Old enough to know better

Completion post:

Emma and I by Sheila Hocken
Date read: 5/27/2021
Pages: 211

Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
#214 Dog on the cover

Completion post:

The Miniaturist by Jessie Burton
Date read: 5/26/2021
Pages: 400

Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
#59 Two dogs on the cover
#189 Hat on the cover
#205 Cover has lots of snow in it.
#208 Cold cover list - #110 on the list
#214 Dog on the cover

Jackanory
Protagonist/Antagonist/Secondary characters/Cameo/McGuffin
= The Miniaturist

Completion post:

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
Date read: 5/24/2021
Pages: 850

Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
#21 Romance MPG
#137 Fantasy MPG
#211 Cover has something gold or silver on it
#225 First person POV
#246 From best ending listopia - #138 on the list.

E6 Howling wolf - Claire encounters a pack of wolves while trying to save Jamie from prison.

Jackanory
Describe your protagonist or
Describe your antagonists or
Describe your secondary characters or
Who's the cameo or
= Outlander

Completion post:

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Date read: 5/22/2021
Pages: 594

Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
#21 Romance MPG
#32 Features a ghost
#39 Geometric shape on the cover
#40 Mummy in text. Page 416: "Why is she wrapped up like a mummy?"
#118 Title has all the letters in D-E-A-T-H
#137 MPG Fantasy
#225 First person POV

Bingo
B4 Vampire fangs - vampires in the book.

Jackanory
What's the spur that start the wedding? or
What's the next plot point? or
Time for the final twist.
= A discovery of witches

Completion post:

Blood Wedding by Pierre Lemaitre
Date read: 5/21/2021
Pages: 320

Possible uses and reasons/justifications:
Bingo - Runner: Sophie is on the run. The police are looking for her.

Jackanory - What's the spur that starts the story? Black Wedding.