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

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

Judy wrote: "Has anyone read anything where a character takes the train? Specifically out of these books:

Diane: People in Glass Houses
Brittany: Not for the Faint of Heart
Heli: Dreadful, The Murder on the Li..."

In The Murder on the Links Hastings and Poirot both travel by train. In the first chapter Hastings meets Cinderella on the train.

Discussion Questions Day 4
Part Three - Chapters 18-23

14. Inez and Whit are either flirting or fighting. What do you think of their dynamic? Are you rooting for them to end up together?
I think they make a good pair. Never a boring moment when they are together.

15. What do you make of Whit’s backstory ? Knowing that he is bound to Ricardo by a life debt, do you find it easier to trust him?
Not really. He's still not telling everything.

16. We get quite the shock when Inez’s mother shows up in her tent! Do you believe she is telling the truth about Ricardo or is this some kind of double cross?
I have my doubts about her. Her story does not quite add up, and the way she treats Inez is suspicious.

17. Finally, a discovery! We’re about 2/3 through the book. Any guesses where this is headed? What are you hoping happens to Inez at the end?
I've already finished the book and know what happens. Not gonna spoil anything, though.

Discussion Questions Day 3

10. As we reach the halfway point I am seeing more and more similarities to the Amelia Peabody series. Is anyone else finding this. Does this affect your impression of the book?
Inez is independent, opinionated and stubborn just like Amelia Peabody. This book lacks the humor, though.

11. We have been introduced to a number of Characters is there anyone that particularly stands out?
Whit is mysterious and charming in a rough way. And I have not figured out Tio Ricardo yet.

12. We have been introduced to Isadora and her Father. Why do you think he doesn’t let her out of his sight?
I guess it's typical for that era and he just wants to keep her safe.

13. Inez seems to be attuned to Cleopatra and sees some of her memories. If you could choose to see one memory of a historical figure whose memory would it be?
Leonardo da Vinci. I would love to spy his creative process.

Discussion Questions Day 2
Part One, Chapter 6 - Part One, Chapter 12

6. In this part Inez spends some time with Mr. Hayes. What did you think of their afternoon in Cairo? Did you enjoy their banter?
Their banter sure is fun to read.

7. After sensing familiar magic from an old trinket, Inez buys it and later has a vision of Cleopatra. What do you think this vision means? Do you believe Cleopatra’s burial site can only be found with Inez’s help?
I think there is a certain connection there, and it will help them find Cleopatra's tomb.

8. Every now and then, the point of view shifts briefly to Mr. Hayes. Do you enjoy these moments from his perspective, or would you prefer the story to stay entirely with Inez?
I don't mind Whit's perspective. There's just so little of it that I do not see the need for it. Maybe we'll get more from him later.

9. Inez finds a letter from her mother, in which she suspects that Tío Ricardo is involved in illegal activities. Does this letter, along with the boat conversation Inez overhears, make you suspicious of Tío Ricardo? Or do you think he’s not responsible for Inez’s parents’ murder?
He definitely is a suspicious character. As for being responsible for murder, the jury is still out.

Hi guys! I'm Heli and live in Finland with my husband and two adult sons. I'm a practical nurse and work in shifts, so I don't have regular working hours.

I mostly prefer domestic travel. We have a lot of beautiful nature resorts to visit. The last time I was abroad was in Gdansk, Poland a couple of years ago. Sweden and Norway will be our next destinations, when we get to have our vacation at the same time. not this year, though. I don't care for beach vacations. I like sightseeing and visiting interesting museums. Museum of the Second World War in Gdans was amazing.

My shelf: tt25

TBR Tackler 2025

No suspension: 27 books
Read: 14/27

324 - The Silent Corner
✔️632 - Remember Me ? - 4/30
✔️967 - Dreadful - 5/26
✔️830 - The Secret Keeper - 3/21
188 - Joka viisautta rakastaa

✔️1196 - The Vanishing Stair - 1/25
✔️666 - In the Dark - 4/12
610 - Burial Rites
✔️66 - Blue Skinned Gods - 1/6
✔1121 - We Don't Talk About Emma - 2/6

✔️250 - The Family Remains - 6/29
1024 - Alias Grace
708 - Taatelitalvi
✔️1031 - Äitiä etsimässä - 8/19
1097 - Rósa & Björk

✔️253- The Devil and the Dark Water - 4/8
✔️96 - Uhri ja pyöveli - 5/4
323 - Show Your Anxiety Who's Boss: A Three-Step CBT Program to Help You Reduce Anxious Thoughts and Worry
609 - Queen Lucia
155 - The Black Book

907 - Once Upon a Broken Heart
835 - Blue Shoes and Happiness
✔️880 - Unqualified - 1/9
✔️48 - Sinun, Margot - 3/17
10 - One Last Child

705 - Darkhouse
✔️408 - Homeland - 2/4

Completion Post:


Book: The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Author: Neil Gaiman
Pages: 259
Date read: 12/5/24
Rating: 4 stars

Bonus:
Published June 2013

Spell-Out:
O: Title
L, H: Ch Lettie Hempstock
M: Ch Ursula Monkton

Gardening Mini:
Plant: word Ocean is exactly 5 letters
Mulch: word the contains TH
Bonus word: Piano - pg. 111: "In the front room my sister was still playing 'Chopsticks' on the piano."

Completion Post:


Book: The Coffin Dancer
Author: Jeffery Deaver
Pages: 513
Date read: 12/3/24
Rating: 3 stars

Bonus:
400+ pages
Originally published in 1998.

Spell-Out:
C: Title
L, R: Ch Lincoln Rhyme
S: Ch Amelia Sachs
R: Ch Roland Bell

Administrative mini:
Tagged dnf 12 times

Completion post:


Book: The Silent Watcher
Author: Victor Methos
Pages: 363
Date read: 12/03/24
Rating: 4 stars

Spell-Out:
S: title
M: ALN
L, H: Ch Lazarus Holloway
O: Ch Owen Whittaker
R: Ch Riley

Completion Post:


Book: The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches
Author: Sangu Mandanna
Pages: 334
Date read: 11/30/24
Rating: 3 stars

Spell-Out:
S, M: author
L: Ch Lucie
R: Ch Rosetta
F: Ch Edward Foxhaven
H: Ch Ian Hawthorn

Minis:
Sugar: pg. 178: "sugar made her feel a teeny bit less like a tired, delicate flower"

Tagged bookclub 692 times

Completion Post


Book: The Simple Truth
Author: David Baldacci
Pages: 486
Date read: 11/29/24
Rating: 3 stars

Bonus:
400+ pages
Originally published November 18, 1998.

Spell-Out:
S : title
R, H: Ch Rufus Harms
F: Ch John Fiske
M: Ch Michael Fiske

Minis:
Fish: pg. 198: "Several stuffed fish were mounted on plaques"
Sugar: pg. 3: "Her skin was the white of sugar."

Completion Post:


Book: The Grace Year
Author: Kim Liggett
Pages: 409
Date read: 11/28/24
Rating: 3 stars

Bonus:
400+ pages
Published October 8, 2019

Spell-Out:
C: Ch Laura Clayton
H: Ch Hans
L: ALN
F: Ch Gertrude Fenton
R: Ch Ryker
M: Ch Michael Welk

Mini:
Pink cover
Tagged book club 507 times

Completion Post


Book: A Dedicated Man
Author: Peter Robinson
Pages: 339
Date read: 11/25/24
Rating: 3 stars

Bonus:
First published January 1, 1988.

Spell-Out:
R: ALN
S, L: Ch Sally Lumb
C: Ch Carol Ellis
H: Ch Harry Steadman
F: Ch Fred Rowe
M: Ch Michael Ramsden

#2 in series

Time to relax mini:
- the title starts with a letter from BARBEQUE
- a sky on the bookcover
- the title starts with a letter from COMFORTABLE
- features one or more books - Sally Lumb is reading Wuthering Heights.

Completion Post


Book: Heavy Are the Stones
Author: J.D. Barker , Christine Daigle
Pages: 312
Date Read: 11/25/24
Rating: 3 stars

Spell-Out:
H: title
S: Ch Silas Halvard
C: Ch Jena Campbell
M: Ch Mason

Feeding the family mini:
Rice: loc. 303: "Collins can stick it in a bag of rice"
Lamb: loc. 3183: "wait meekly as a little lamb."
Fish: loc. 3389: "reelsa me in like a fish on a line."
Pumpkin, spice: loc. 583: "be described as spray tan pumpkin spice"
Salt: loc. 2737: "No salt, Weisz pipes up."
Sugar: loc. 1259: "behind her scent of warm sugar as she heads inside."

Time to relax mini:
Author initials found in Decorating - Christine Daigle
Pants: loc. 2055: "Those pants are a lovely shade of lavender."

Completion Post


Book: The Shadow Man
Author: Helen Sarah Fields
Pages: 384
Date read: 11/22/24
Rating: 4 stars

Bonus:
Published February 4, 2021

Spell-Out:
X: Ch Xavier
F: Ch Fergus
E, L: Ch Elsa Lambert
C: Ch Connie Woolwine

Completion Post


Book: Thirteen
Author: Steve Cavanagh
Pages: 336
Date Read: 11/21/24
Rating: 4 stars

Bonus:
Published January 25, 2018

Spell-Out:
C: ALN
E, F: Ch Eddie Flynn
A: Ch Alec Wynn

Gardening Mini:
#4 in series
Weed: Double E in the title
Black cover 59.5%
Piano: "with somebody playing a piano

Feeding the Family Mini:
Potato: pg. 229: "ten pounds of potatoes.
Bread: pg 136: "maybe with some fried bread
Corn: pg 112: "Corn syrup. Bottled water."
Apple: pg 73: "his Adam's apple bobbed up and down"
Peach: pg 86: "peach colored napkin from his shirt pocket"
Salt & pepper: pg 105: "man with salt-and-pepper hair stood up"

Completion Post


Book: Kill Show
Author: Daniel Sweren-Becker
Pages: 256
Date read: 11/18/24
Rating: 3 stars

Spell-Out:
F, C: Ch Felix Calderon
G: Ch Brandon Grassley
A, P: Ch Anthony Pena
L: Ch Molly Lowe
E: Ch Ezra Phillips

Completeion Post


Book: Eyeshot
Author: Taylor Adams
Pages: 290
Date Read: 11/15/24
Rating: 3 stars

Bonus:
Published August 14, 2014

Spell-Out:
A: ALN
E: title
G, F: Ch Glen Floyd
L: Ch Leroy Burke

Mini: Cover is 53.8% grey

Completion post


Book: The Cult
Author: Abby Davies
Pages: 362
Date read: 11/13/24
Rating: 3 stars

Bonus:
Published October 28, 2021

Spell-Out:
C: title
A: AFN
F: Ch Anthony Fields
L: Ch Lily Wells
P: Ch Pearline
I: Ch Isabel Hart

Gardening Mini:
Cover is 54.5% black.

Completion Post


Book: The Bone Collector
Author: Jeffery Deaver
Pages: 436
Date read: 11/11/24
Rating: 4 stars

Bonus:
400+ pages
Originally published January 3, 1997

Spell-Out:
L: Ch Lincoln Rhyme
A; Ch Amelia Sachs
P: Ch Peter Taylor

The Admin Mini:
Tagged DNF 71 times

Gardening Mini:
#1 in series
Water: contains and H and 2 Os